THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



tandems, witli the leaders scarcely able to make a walk of it, 

 from the fiankings they had received from their rather merci- 

 less drivers, in their anxiety to display their art ; in another, 

 four or tive of the better sort of college sportsmen, whose 

 finances had allowed of their sending hacks forward overnight, 

 coming along at a good cover-hack pace, without showing- 

 distress ; while, just as the fox was found, up drove a post- 

 chaise, at a gallop, with three red-coats inside, and two on the 

 bar ! One or tw^o of these aspirants were well known to Frank 

 Raby, and amongst the lot — quite as many as could be expected 

 — four or five of them rode well and judiciously to the hounds, 

 throughout a really good run of an hour over a right stiff" 

 country. 



Young Raby's next move was to Leicester, where he took up 

 his abode at the ' Three Crowns Inn,' the principal one of that 

 day, and about as bad as most country inns of that day were 

 found to be. On his road, in his travelling carriage, he amused 

 himself by booking a few of Mr. Warde's sayings and hints; 

 amongst which were the following : — 



' Half the goodness of a horse goes in at his mouth. 



'Never buy a horse from a rich man who hunts: or from a 

 poor man, till you have tried him. 



' Never believe a word any man says about a horse he wishes 

 to sell — not even a bishop. 



' Never keep a drinking man, nor a very pretty maid-sei-vant. 



' Never refuse a good dinner from home, unless you have a 

 better at home. 



' Breed your hounds with bone and nose ; without the one 

 the}'' will tire ; without the other, become slack.' 



185 



