138 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



to Northamptonshire was in the habit of riding as 

 close to Dick as he could, but was invariably beaten 

 in a run. At the commencement of one season the 

 gentleman was on a new horse, a clipper. He said 

 to Knight, " You won't beat me to-day, Dick ! " 

 "Won't I, sir?" was the reply. "If you do, I'll 

 give you the horse," said the gentleman. The one 

 rode for the horse, the other for his honour. At 

 last they came to an unjumpable place, which could 

 only be crossed by going between the twin stems of 

 a tree, barely wide enough to admit a horse. At it 

 went Dick, throwing his legs across his horse's 

 withers, and got through. The horse was sent to 

 him next morning.' 



A cool horseman was Jack Shirley, Mr. Smith's 

 first whip in Leicestershire. 



'He was riding Gadsby, a celebrated hunter of 

 Mr. Smith's, but then a good deal the worse for 

 wear, over one of the worst fields in all Leicester- 

 shire for a blown horse, between Tilton and Somerby, 

 abounding with large ant-hills and deep holding 

 furrows. " The old horse," said my informant, " was 

 going along at a slapping pace, with his head quite 

 loose, down-hill at the time, whilst Jack was in the 

 act of putting a point of whipcord into his thong, 

 having a large open clasp-knife between his teeth at 

 the time." ' 



The hunting-field being open to all comers, of 

 course eccentrics are sometimes found there, and 



