84 THE MERRY GEE-GEE 



placed under their very noses to lose 

 their money backing " stiff uns " on the 

 tape. 



However, it's our bounden duty to 

 accept such entertainment as the gods 

 provide and our tastes incline to, and 

 to extract what fun we can while we 

 sojourn in this vale of tears ; and as there 

 are 1000 hunters conditioning in Melton 

 to-day, and Kirby Gate is within very 

 measurable distance, there will be a few 

 more gees bestridden, and a few more 

 novices want lifting in the pigskin, so 

 here goes. 



If a boy is hardy and grubs well, as 

 boys generally do, and has plenty of 

 pluck, and keen on it, you may start him 

 riding at seven or eight, but if he is a 

 weakly sort and not over-keen, I should 

 delay his riding a few years later, till he 

 shows an eagerness for it and a desire 



