ABOUT BUYING A HORSE. 169 



dently taking his cue from me. Again he shifts his leg, and 

 coughs dubiously. 



Now what /want is that Murgle, or Cazell, or both, should 

 pick out the animal's defects. I confess to being pleased 

 with him. And I own I do not see where his faults are. I 

 hate a friend who knows something about it, to turn up 

 afterwards and say, " um, rather down in the fetlock — low 

 in the forehand — seen a good deal of work," and so forth. 



Happy Thoicght, — Ask what's his age. 



Chalvey replies frankly, "Well, Sir, I don't want to 

 deceive you ; you can see for yourself." 



He means I am to look into the horse's mouth, and judge 

 by his teeth. Certainly mustn't show ignorance ; or nervous- 

 ness. 



Happy Thought.— TqW Murgle to open the horse's mouth. 



Murgle does so awkwardly. I look at his teeth, and down 

 his throat, and at the roof of his mouth as long as the horse 

 will stand it. I don't know what I'm looking at. His teeth 

 appear to have been neglected for some time. My first 

 impulse is to say to Chalvey, " I rather think he ought to go 

 to a dentist " — however, I know that isn't " horsey," so I say 

 in an off-hand manner, " Well, he's not very young." 

 Murgle, who, I thought, would have told me exactly, merely 

 coughs, looks more stupid than usual, and says, " No, he 

 ain't not azackly young." 



I am annoyed and disappointed with Murgle. His 

 business is, what is called on the Stage, when one man plays 



