THE IJFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



' You have had your sliare of kickers, I suppose,' observed 

 Webber. 



'Not lately,' replied Jem. 'My master and I are old 

 acquaintances now ; I can pick my stock a little ; and depend 

 on't I don't pick out a kicker. But when I was a-going over, 

 I didn't think much of kickers, dangerous as they are. If 

 leaders, I always had a ring on the leading reins, between the 

 head turrets of the wheelers and the pad turrets of the leaders, 

 so as to prevent their getting under their tails ; and if at wheel, 

 I took care to have a right strong kicking trace over their 

 backs. I got tired of carrying a wheeler on the pole, one day ; 

 and as for leaders, I have had their legs so fast, either among 

 the bars, or among the pole-chains, that I more than once 

 thought I must have got a saw to work to get them out. 

 Never keep a kicker, Mr. Raby, he gives no notice ; a mere pinch 

 of a pad, or even a twist in his trace, sets him off'; and he cares 

 not where he runs you, till he has had his kick out. Depend 

 on't he'll never leave it off", for his real meaning is- — he don't 

 like ivork, and he wants to kick himself out of harness at once. 

 And be sure always keep your own side on the road ' 



Jack Wehher — interrupting him — 



' The rule of tlie road is a paradox quite, 

 I confess I have thought it so long : 

 If you go to the left you are sure to go right. 

 If you go to the right, you are wrong.' 



' I am not much of a man for iwetry,' resumed Jem ; ' but 

 never throw a chance away in coaching, for, remember, other 

 limbs and lives are in your care besides your own. Never 

 run too near cai'ts, and waggons, and so forth. The horses in 

 them may bolt towards you, and catch hold of you before 

 you can get away from them — especially if your team is not 

 one of the handiest. But, mind this — wherever your leaders' 

 bars can go, your wheels can go, without touching, with some- 

 thing to spare — that is to say, provided your leaders are on 

 the collars at the time. I was once in a nice scrape by going 

 too near a cart in which two horses ran abreast of each other 

 before the shaft horse. The trace of the oft" horse caught my 

 roller bolt, and thus we were locked together as fast as if we 

 had been in the same vice.' 



' And how did you get out of it ? ' asked Webber. 



311 



