Sz My First Steeple-chaser. 



his chaft'. Such an opportunity for the display of his wit had not 

 occurred for a long time, and he was determined to make the most of 

 it. As he drank success to my new bargain, he confidentially asked 

 me to let him ^' stand a fiver in the first race I ran him for," and he 

 kept continually following me about for orders as to how he was to 

 treat the horse during my absence — what bandages he should put 

 on ; whether I would have his mane plaited, or his tail banged j in 

 fact, it was quite evident he regarded me as " a muff," and nothing 

 else. This, however, I cared little for at that time — the days had 

 long passed by when the slightest imputations on my pretensions to 

 be a sportsman would have been regarded as a personal insult ; and 

 although I never went so far as the old betting-man \\q read of, 

 who declared that he would willingly give loo/. to be taken once 

 again for a flat at Newmarket, I had much rather, when having 

 anything to do with horses^ be regarded as a fool than not. 



On a lovely August morning, about a week after making the 

 bargain as already narrated, I again pulled up at the door of the little 

 roadside inn, to take possession of my new purchase. A week's 

 rest had done wonders for the old cripple — he did not appear to go 

 a bit lame as he walked out of the stable ; and even the landlord, 

 of whom I borrowed a bridle and saddle (for I intended to ride the 

 horse home myself), seemed struck with his good looks, as he was 

 led to the door. I must say, screw as he was, I was much pleased 

 with my new bargain. He cantered so corkily along the grass by 

 the roadside, that I was tempted to have a shy at some rails by the 

 side of a gate, which we so often see across a country lane, and he 

 popped over them like a bird. There Mas not much in this leap, it 

 is true, but there was a good deal in the style he jumped it, which 

 sbowed that he could do twice as much, if it was asked of him. 



It was early when I reached my friend's house ; but laziness was 

 never one of his faults, and he stood on his lawn to welcome me, 

 in company with the very two men of all others to whom I wished 

 to show the new nag — his nephew, the rough-rider and the vet. I 

 pulled up close to the trio, and the two questions, '■ What have you 

 ^ot there?" and "Well, what do you think of this one?" passed 



