ABOUT BUYING A HORSE. 173 



Chalvey expatiates upon the reasons why he has asked so 

 little, and apparently is already on the point of regretting his 

 price, and either taking him away, or adding another tenner 

 to the sum just mentioned, when occurs to me 



Happy Thought. — Close with him at once. 



Business is business. Cheque on the spot, Chalvey being 

 in a hurry to get off to Sussex, and having several horse 

 accounts to make up, and being considerably out of pocket 

 by, (Sic, &c. 



He takes cheque, and gives receipt, that is, makes a mark 

 to a form which I pen for him, bids us good-day, and IMurgle 

 leads the new purchase to the stable. 



" Not dear," I say to Cazell, as we re-enter the house. 



" No," returns Cazell, meditatively. Presently he says, 

 " I dare say there is a sporting butcher, or publican, in the 

 neighbourhood who'd make trotting and jumping matches 

 with you. Might get a heap of tin out of 'em." 



'' Quite enough, too," says my Aunt, on hearing the price. 

 She doesn't like the Gipsy, and hopes we locked the gate 

 and looked round the garden everywhere. 



" If it is cheap," she continues, " that man didn't come by 

 him honestly. You may depend upon it that horse you've 

 just bought is stolen.^'' 



I am just going to reply somewhat sharply, being annoyed, 

 v,'hen I am interrupted by myself sneezing. 



'•There," says my Aunt, severely, "you've caught cold 

 from standing outside without your hat." 



