276 THE HUNTING FIELD 



even if the shabby cockade in the hat had been 

 wanting. 



" I'm blowed, if I don't believe this ere kiddey with 

 the ventilator in his old tile is a bringin of my new 

 'orse," observed Mr. Strutt, taking his cigar out of his 

 mouth, with which, and a hand in each coat pocket, 

 he had been straddling, the observed of all observers 

 of a select circle of post-boys, horse-keepers, and 

 idlers, the usual concomitants of the glorious but now 

 departed greatness of stage-coaches. 



" I say, old chap ! " exclaimed Strutt to the man 

 who had now begun fumbling and smelling at the 

 piece of dirty paper as if he could read, " I say, old 

 chap, are you a lookin for your nuss?" 



" Brought a horse for a gentleman," replied the 

 man, again holding the dirty slip of paper upside 

 down before his nose. 



" Here, let me see it," said Mr. Strutt, perceiving 

 how it was. He took and read as follows : — 



"The Cow at Dunchurch. Ask for the Honourable Mr. 

 Milksop's groom, and deliver the horse to him." 



" / thought so" said Mr. Strutt, tearing the paper 

 up, and giving it to the winds. " I thought so," 

 repeated he, looking at the horse. 



"And have you no letter from your master?" asked 

 Strutt. 



" No," replied the man. 



" No ! " repeated Strutt. " What ! no letter, no 

 message, no nothing ? " 



11 No ! " was all the answer returned. 



The "gemman wot does our shades" would not 

 like to have them dulled by recording the oaths that 

 followed. Suffice it to say, Strutt saw his worst fears 

 were realized, and stormed and fumed accordingly. 



The horse, too, came in for his share of abuse. 



What was the use of bringing such a d d cat-legged, 



cow-hocked, sickle-hammed, leg-tied, spavined, glan- 



