BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK. 123 



pared cans of hot water and breakfast, we visited 

 the orphaned Tommies. The Ouellyn Arms does 

 not profess to stable horses, therefore it cannot be 

 regarded as an unkindness if we mention that the 

 Tommies were housed in what seemed to be a 

 lumber - room. Broken things that might have 

 been beds, washing - mangles, or turnip -cutters, 

 choked the entrance. One saddle was perched 

 on a bedpost, like a bonnet on a stand in a shop- 

 window, the other lay on the ground, and behind 

 the heap glowered the indignant faces of the 

 Tommies. Both had pulled their heads out of 

 their halters, and, in default of other food, were 

 tearing the stuffing out of an ancient palliasse. 

 In the boxes that served as mangers were a few 

 nettles and stalks of mint, sole remnants of some 

 strange repast which must have borne about the 

 same relation to hay that curry does to boiled 

 mutton. The hotel cook strolled into the stable 

 while we were there ; it seemed she had been 

 hay-making during a pause in the duties of the 

 cuisine — a fact that recurred to us when subse- 



