244 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



and thought the best policy was to assume that his 

 intentions were good. I told him I would send a 

 cheque by my servant, and would trouble him to send 

 back a receipt, with the usual warranty, and left 

 him. In a couple of hours John brought home the 

 mare and the receipt. " How does she go, John ? ' 

 " Pretty well, sir." I saw the rascal was drunk, and 

 asked him for the receipt. He fumbled first in this 

 pocket and then in the other, and at last produced an 

 unstamped acknowledgment for the money, but not 

 a word of wai'ranty ! The next morning, when sober, 

 lie owned that " the gentleman " had given him half 

 a crown, and the " gentleman's groom" had helped 

 him to spend it ! The rest was easily explained : 

 " The gentleman " was gone to Melton or Newmarket 

 instead of Tattersall's — but the mare went there, 

 and was certainly as well known as I could wish. It 

 was the only word of truth the fellow had spoken. 

 She had slipped her hip in foaling, and had been sold 

 three times in three months at an average price of 

 ten pounds. I only lost twenty by her, and thought 

 myself lucky.' 



With rare perseverance Sir George tried yet 

 again, but it was a long time before he could find one 

 to suit his fancy. At length he found one that he 

 thought would do, and it certainly did — a consider- 

 able amount of damage before he managed to get rid 

 of it. Sir George says : 



' A chestnut horse was advertised for sale at some 



