" Cruppering the Brute, ^^ 191 



and round and round we went until we both 

 grew giddy. However, I cruppered him at 

 last." 



'' What did you do ? " we asked. 



'* Tied the brute fast to a fence with both 

 reins, and then mounted him." 



This was greeted with shouts of laughter, 



but our friend C was evidently quite in 



earnest. "But what did you do then?" I 

 asked. 



*' Had to get down again, of course," said 

 he, "and untie him." 



We found that it was true, and that he 

 had had to walk the beggar home. That set 

 the fun going, and round and round we sent 

 the old bottle. And as the port began to 

 warm us — right down to our toes — we 

 "fought our battles o'er again," and after 

 " thrice we'd slain the slain " the time came 

 for coats and gigs, and off on our homeward 

 journey. 



"A real good sort," we all voted our host 

 of that evening. " His port wants a lot of 



