72 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



" Perhaps if you saw something to suit, you might buy,** 

 says the dealer. 



" Oh, no ! More horses than I know what to do with. 

 Horses to sell ! " (Deception number three : they came on 

 purpose to buy.) 



It is amusing to see how many men go about buying a 

 horse in this deceptive way, imagining themselves very 

 bright and clever. They seem to think they have hit 

 upon a new idea of getting the best of the dealer and 

 taking him off his guard. They will buy a horse 

 for two hundred and fifty dollars which, if the dealer 

 knew they wanted it, would cost three hundred dollars or 

 more. 



Is the dealer sharp ? It is the foolish buyers who make 

 him so. By the time the would-be customer has looked 

 over two or three horses the mask drops and the dealer 

 can read him like a primer. 



"What 's the price of this one?" the gentleman asks, 

 with what is intended to be great unconcern. No answer; — 

 the dealer wants to confirm himself in his belief that his 

 visitor really intends to buy. The customer repeats the 

 question. The dealer pays no heed, but says : " Come on, 

 gentlemen ; I have a promising youngster in this box." 

 The horse the customer has been inquiring the price of is 

 the horse he came to buy ; the dealer sees that he has no 

 interest whatever in looking at the promising youngster. 

 He calls attention to still another horse, — his own hunter, 

 for instance, — one he would not sell. " There, gentlemen, 

 is one of the best horses I own, but I would not recom- 

 mend any one to buy him." 



