NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 87 



all over like what he was, and with the usual touch of the hat, said, 

 *' Please, sir, you are to ride this horse." " Whose horse is he?" was 

 the natural question. " Lord Elcho's," replied the boy. '' Then," 

 resumed I, " it does not please me to ride him ; where is his lordship V 

 *' Yonder," answered the boy, " going home." Clapping spurs to my 

 hack, I was in two minutes alongside him. But remonstrance was in 

 vain; all that I could get from him was, that he insisted upon my riding 

 his horse, and that if I would not ride him, he would instantly send 

 him home. 



My brother sportsmen will enter fully into my feelings on this occa- 

 sion. In the first place I was depriving a man passionately fond of 

 hunting of the chance of a good day's sport, and as it happened I did 

 deprive him of one just to his liking, and one in which he would, 

 without doubt, have signalized himself. Secondly, 1 was aware it was 

 the first time of his seeing the duke's hounds in the field for the season 

 — a matter of no small interest to masters of neighbouring packs, — and 

 thirdly, it was possible that I might injure his horse. As, however, 

 the value of the offering is increased by the sacrifice that is made to it, 

 it may be well imagined that 1 availed myself of every opportunity short 

 of being quite thrown out, of sparing Lord Elcho's horse during every 

 part of this run, and a very favourable one was most fortunately afforded 

 me over the distressing moors of the first twenty minutes, by the judi- 

 cious piloting of Frank Collison. 1 was also indebted to a lucky '' nick" 

 for getting up at the check in Marchmont-park, where about two minutes 

 breathing-time was allowed my horse. The consequence of all this was, 

 that when we entered the deep vale of Merse, he was going well 

 within himself, and never once put a foot into a wrong place. 



There are few periods in the life of a sportsman which afford hira such 



