ABOUT BUYING A HORSE. 15 



which, in a carriage full of people, I would rather accept as 

 matters of course than as entire novelties taking me by sur- 

 prise. 



My Casual Acquaintance being satisfied, or appearing to 

 be so, continues, " Well, when I got up to Chick's, Old 

 William there — you recollect Old William ?" — I look puzzled, 

 feeling it won't do for me to recollect' every one and every- 

 thing with the same readiness that I did " Chick's," and the 

 " Gravel Pits," — but he goes on to explain, rather impatiently, 

 that he means, 



" Old WiUiam, who used to be at the Kennels " 



Happy TJwnght. — O, yes ; of course. The Kennels. 



[It's no use, after acknowledging " Chick's," &c., at first, 

 to stick at trifles, but I haven't a notion of what he's alluding 

 to. It suddenly strikes me that perhaps he is proceeding on 

 a theory of Gratuitous Assumptions, and that, as it were, 

 he's playing at " taking me for somebody else." Be cautious 

 what I admit.] 



He goes on, " I thought you'd recollect him," meaning 

 Old William, but I make no sign, being unwilling to go any 

 further into the mire. " Well, Old W^illiam told me he'd got 

 something that 'ud suit me down to the ground. It was nice 

 enough, and I shouldn't ha' minded offering fifty for the 

 mare. But, Lor bless you ! what figure do you think they 

 put her at ? " 



I don't know. Eighty, I suggest, that being my idea of a 

 maximum price. 



"Ah!" he rejoins, smihng ironically, "try twice eighty, 



