6 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



of that coldest of comforts cold water who should have got 

 a chance peep at our snuggery. 



Suddenly, after a long pause, during which he had been 

 stimulating his ideas by assiduous fumigation, blowing off his 

 steam in a long vapory cloud that curled a minute afterward 

 about his temples, "What say you, Frank, to a start to- 

 morrow ?" exclaimed Harry, " and a week's right good shoot- 

 ing ? 



" Why, as for that," said I, " I wish for nothing better but 

 where the deuce would you go to get shooting ?" 



"Never fash your beard, man," he replied, "I'll find the 

 ground and the game too, so you'll 6nd share of the shooting ! 

 Holloa ! there Tim, Tim Matlock." 



And in brief space that worthy minister of mine host's 

 pleasures made his appearance, smoothing down his short black 

 hair, clipped in the orthodox bowl fashion, over his bluff good- 

 natured visage with one hand, while he employed its fellow in 

 hitching up a pair of most voluminous unmentionables, of thick 

 Yorkshire cord. 



A character was Tim and now I think of it, worthy of brief 

 description. Born, I believe bred, certainly, in a hunting 

 stable, far more of his life passed in the saddle than elsewhere, 

 it was not a little characteristic of my friend Harry to have 

 selected this piece of Yorkshire oddity as his especial body 

 servant ; but if the choice were queer, it was at least successful, 

 for an honester, more faithful, hard-working, and withal, better 

 hearted, and more humorous varlet never drew curry-comb over 

 horse-hide, or clothes-brush over broad-cloth. 



His visage was, as I have said already, bluff and good-natured, 

 with a pair of hazel eyes, of the smallest but, at the same 

 time, of the very merriest twinkling from under the thick 

 black eye-brows, which were the only hairs suffered to grace his 

 clean-shaved countenance. An indescribable pug nose, and a 

 good clean cut mouth, with a continual dimple at the left corner, 

 made up his phiz. For the rest, four feet ten inches did Tim 

 stand in his stockings, about two-ten of which were monopolized 

 by his back, the shoulders of which would have done honor to 

 a six foot pugilist, his legs, though short and bowed a little 

 outward, by continual horse exercise, were right tough service- 

 able members, and I have seen them bearing their owner on 

 through mud and mire, when straighter, longer, and more fair 

 proportioned limbs were at an awful discount. 



