i68 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



and the more genuine and the more valuable, as coming 

 from a wanderer, a rover like Chalvey. It's as much as to 

 say to me, "You see, Sir, though I'm only a queer sort of 

 customer myself, yet I knows a gentleman when I sees one ; 

 and bless you, I sees one afore me now," meaning myself. 

 I try to steel my heart against the implied flattery, and go at 

 once to the cob's knees. 



" O, bless you," says Mr. Chalvey with a laugh, " he^s not 

 been down, couldn't throw him down, not if you was to try 

 your harderest. He's a wonder, he is. Do anything a'most. 

 Jump a rumbreller, or a stick, or anything 'eld afore him ; 

 never refuses, and safe ever^^vhere." 



" He'd suit 7ne with hounds ? " I suggest. I see Cazell 

 smile. This annoys me, because why should Cazell see 

 anything ridiculous in my going out "with hounds ?" There's 

 nothing ridiculous in my going out withottt hounds. Then 

 why — but this requires thinking out, and, at the present 

 time, business is business. 



" Carry you, Sir !" exclaims Chalvey, in admiration. 

 " He's the very thing you want, I should say. Only, Sir," 

 here he assumes a resolute air, " if you was to say to me, 

 look here, Mr. Chalvey, here 's a hundred pounds to find me 

 a cob as'll carry me safe with 'ounds, I couldn't bring you a 

 better than this 'ere." 



Murgle coughs, nods approval, looks inquiringly at Cazell, 

 and then shifts his leg, as though he had not, as yet, exactly 

 made up his mind on the subject. 



"Strong?" I observe to Murgle. 



"Yes, Sir, he's a strong 'un, he is," replies Murgle, evi- 



