lo8 TALES OF THE TURF AND THE CHASE. 



she's the mare — and gone over two trainers, Davenwick and 

 Mossfoot ; and if she's the same, she has a bit out of one ear, as 

 if nibbled by a rat, and she has a fore-pastern fired.' 



So saying he approached the mare again. 



' Woa,' lass ; woa, little vvifie.' 



With a toss of her head and a scornful glance of her eye she 

 dashed off, but not before we had observed the marks on the 

 pastern of the near forefoot — an appearance of tightness, with 

 rebellious little ridges of hair running from top to bottom, about 

 an inch or so apart. 



I remarked to my father that I had observed these marks 

 from the first, but had not understood them. 



' Hadn't you ' better, James,' said he, turning on me, ' go 

 and feed that "dog ? He's been howling for at least half an 

 hour.' 



Thus civilly he ordered me off; and I went. 



I was out riding the rest of the morning. When I returned 

 I heard from Joe, while he was hissing over the hot flanks of my 

 horse, that my father had sent the pretty mare with her foal off 

 to a distant field. 



' 'E 'ad 'er in fust, though,' said Joe, with a wink. 



' Well,' said I eagerly, ' and did you see the — the — mutilated 

 ear, and the fired pastern ?' 



* Bless you. Master James,' said Joe, stopping and looking 

 up, * I seen 'em afore.' 



' Seen them before, and never mentioned it, Joe ?' 



'Mention it. Mister James, d'ye say? Now you knows 

 better'n that. You knows 'ow master, your father, does. 'E 

 won't a 'ear uv 'es bein' tuk in from nobody ; but when 'e sees 'e 

 is tuk in, away he packs the thing wot tuk 'im in out uv sight 

 somewheres, which he's done this blessed day.' 



And Joe with a chuckle resumed his hissing and thumping. 



' Joe,' I said, after having considered a moment whether I 

 should reveal my ignorance, ' what do they fire a pastern for ?' 



'Fire a pastern for. Mister James ?' 



He rose slowly, and began absently to feel for the horse's 

 ribs. 



' 'Cos it's cruel. Mister James ; 'cos the 'oss 'as smashed 'isself 

 some time or nuther, an' it's swelled big, an' they lays somethink 

 over it an' lays the iron on 'issin' 'ot — that precious soon lays the 

 swellin'. Thafs wot they does it for. Mister James, 'cos they 

 thinks the 'oss likes it, I dessay.' 



