26 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



sixteen hands high, nearly quite thoroiigli-bred, 

 and looked it all over, He was much faster than 

 Brutus, and if other horses were crashing the 

 fences round about him he was slightly inclined 

 to rush. But once let him shake off the field, 

 and feel that he had the lead, his immense powers 

 of speed assuring him that he always had a pull 

 upon the hounds, then it was really the poetry 

 of equestrianism to see the beautiful arch of his 

 neck, his nose turned slightly on one side, so that 

 his one eye, for he had but one, might get a sight 

 of all beneath and before him, and then, as the 

 next fence drew nigh, to feel the swell of his ribs 

 as he gathered his wind for exertion, and, then 

 beautifully timing his stroke, to feel him fly his 

 fences, not taking off too soon, and with a latent 

 power in his forearms and shoulders to stretch far 

 beyond any unexpected impediment in his way. 

 His moutli, to his easy double rein, plain snaffle 

 and curb-bit, was as light as the air he breathed ; 

 and Jack o' Lantern and Brutus were the only two 

 of all my horses who, on coming to a double ditch 

 or a ditch much wider than was expected on the 

 contrary side, instead of dropping their legs to 

 try to catch an uncertain bank, would so far 



