An Unconventional Introduction. 27 



out of the saddle and flat on his back by the 

 roadside. 



" Well sir, and what the did you 



mean by that?" the governor began, picking 

 himself up in a towering rage, and making for 

 the farmer as if he meant to pull him also out 

 of his saddle. 



The innocent cause of the old gentleman's 

 wrath sat speechless on his horse, as much 

 surprised at the encounter as my father. 

 Then his face grew as red as a beet as he 

 tried hard to stifle his laughter, but in which 

 attempt at last he failed completely. Nor 

 could he manage to splutter out an apology. 

 But my father always bad a keen sense of 

 humour closely underlying his bluster, and 

 soon the pair of them had shaken hands and 

 were guffawing loudly over this unconventional 

 early morning meeting and introduction. 



Time was being lost, however, as my father 

 suddenly realised with a shock, and judging 

 that the adventure must have already robbed 

 him of something like five valuable minutes 

 from the chase, he jumped on his chestnut 



