THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



I have yet one more little ' sign of the times ' to produce. 

 The following day was a hunting day with Mr. Raby, and his 

 harriers went to one of his best places for sport. One of 

 Frank's horses went with them, but he himself did not make 

 his appearance at the breakfast table. His father ordered him 

 to be summoned, and his answer was this : — 



' Tell my father I liave ordered Achilles to be sent to cover 

 with the hounds, but, as I have got a bit of a headache, I shall not 

 get up just yet. Tell him not to wait for me ; I will follow him.' 



The hour of meeting being ten, the harriers had one good 

 run before our hero made his appearance, which was at the 

 comfortable, and, with harriers, now usual houi- of twelve. 

 And when he did arrive, there was a something in his manner 

 that did not exactly please old Dick. 



' Where is Inkleton ? ' said he to his father, scarcely throw- 

 ing his eye over the pack. At all events it was not — as 

 formerly — ' Here's a tine morning, Dick, for a run ! Yoicks ! 

 Bellman and Blossom, you beauties, I hope you'll show us a 

 tickler to-da}'.' — No ; it was once more — ' Where the devil is 

 Inkleton ? — he promised to be here — but to be sure it's early 

 yet — to arrange about our horses sleeping out to-night ; and 

 also about ourselves getting to the foxhounds to-morrow. It 

 is one of their most distant covers, thirty miles ott" at least, but 

 I would not miss it on any consideration. Confound him, I 

 wish he would come, for my groom is waiting at the Abbey 

 for orders to send the General forward.' Inkleton at length 

 arrived ; and the arrangements to go to cover were instantly 

 made, after this rather comfortable fashion — namely, Frank 

 to dine with his friend that evening ; to go the first twelve 

 miles of the thirty next morning, on his friend's coach-box, 

 behind four of his greys; and to put foiu- posters to the 

 ' drag,' over the last eighteen. And we may as well give the 

 events of the day at once ; at least those in which we are 

 concerned. They found a capital fox ; and on seeing a person 

 play a solo over a new, stift", hog-backed, oaken stile, at the 

 end of fifteen miles, point blank, and over a right stiff" country 

 to boot, our hero made him an offer of 200 guineas for his 

 horse, which, after some hesitation, was accepted. Sir John 

 having been previously consulted as to whence the 200 were 

 to be forthcoming, a point soon determined upon, Sii- John 

 making use of an expression rather familiar to our hero — 



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