HEROES OF THE HUNTING-FIELD 123 



next week ? ' said lie one evening to a neighbour, 

 when dining with him at Tedworth. ' I think,' was 

 the guest's reply, ' that he will bring his hounds to 

 Ashdown Copse on Monday.' 'Then if he does, I 

 will bring an action against him, by Jove ! ' ex- 

 claimed the wrathful old squire. 'And pray, sir, 

 what makes you smile, may I ask ? ' he added, ob- 

 serving his friend slightly amused at the threat; 'it 

 is no joke, I promise you.' ' Excuse me, sir,' replied 

 the guest, ' but I was thinking if Tom Smith were 

 cast for damages, who would have to pay the bill.' 

 The prohibition was withdrawn. 



Assheton Smith would not allow himself to be 

 beaten at anything. It of course often happened 

 that there were men in the field who fancied them- 

 selves his equal in horsemanship and daring, but he 

 generally contrived to ride away from them. 



Mr. Smith was once riding his famous horse 

 Eadical in the Market Harborough country, when he 

 observed, even while the hounds were drawing, a 

 fellow, dressed like a horse-jockey at a fair, following 

 close after him over every leap he took. On inquiry he 

 ascertained that the said fellow was a horse-doctor, who 

 had made a bet that his horse would jump anything 

 that should be cleared by Radical. Matters went on 

 pretty smoothly till they found, when the squire's 

 rival for some time followed close, until they arrived 

 at a hog-backed foot-style with a tremendous drop, 

 and foot-steps into the road. This Radical cleared ; 



