CHASING AND RACING 9 



" Beggy pardin, Gov'nor. Might you 'appen to 

 be Sir George Chetwynd ? " 



The answer was in the affirmative, with the 

 addition of the reasonable query, ** What can I do for 

 you ? '' 



" Well it's this way," began the interloper ; ** you 

 'ad a pin pinched on the course didn't yer ? " 



The listener assented, but assured his questioner 

 that the gaud had been recovered, and that everything 

 in the garden was lovely ! 



But the baronet was beset by a further " interroga- 

 tory." 



** That's all right, Guv'nor, but would you mind 

 tellin' me, in strict confidence, 'ow much you bunged 

 over to the bloke wot 'anded you yer property ? " 



" Well, I don't know how it concerns you mi' 

 lad," responded Sir George ; " but if it is of vital 

 importance that you should be acquainted with the 

 exact sum that passed, I don't mind confiding to you, 

 that it was two pounds sterling." 



" Blyme 1 a couple o' quid ! 'Ark at that now ! 

 So 'elp me Gawd, they only gave me 'arf a thick un, 

 and I was the guy wot pinched it orf yer ! " 



A gang of roughs once had the temerity to attempt 

 to turn Sir George Astley (affectionately known as 

 ** The Mate ") upside down, and to shake all he 

 carried out of his pockets ; but they caught a tartar. 

 The genial and breezy baronet was no mean performer 

 with ** the raw 'uns," and after he had neatly laid out 



