160 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



tongued jackdaw. Come over here, Micky, by the 

 fireside, from these impident clattherin' blackguards that 

 know no more about racin' than pigs about pound notes. 

 I'll show ye the draft iv the coorse in the ashes on 

 the hearth, an' explain i very thing to ye as clear as 

 daylight," said Denis, who wished to re-ride his steeple- 

 chase after his own manner, and was perchance fearful 

 that if he continued his narration within earshot of his 

 not untruthful tormentors, his boon companion, Micky, 

 might begin to entertain feelings of doubt regarding the 

 veracity of his highly coloured and one-sided description 

 of the race. 



Having seated himself in the only chair before the 

 fire, he very graciously kicked a small wooden footstool, 

 of about six inches in height, towards the old shoe -doctor, 

 and motioned him to seat himself at the fireside. He then 

 proceeded to rake out the ashes from beneath the wide 

 peat grate, and spreading them over a square yard or 

 so of the hearth, he borrowed Micky's long church- 

 warden — " for sure his own wasn't long enough " — and 

 commenced to make a sketch of the point-to-point 

 course, marking the different walls and fences thereon 

 with pieces of white paper, while a match stuck here and 

 there represented the flags. The water- jump was denoted 

 by a small stream of stout, which had to be renewed 

 at frequent intervals, as the dry ashes absorbed the Hquor, 

 and part of it was evaporated by the heat of the fire. 



" An.' what might this be, Denis ? " said Micky, 

 pointing to the pigmy river. 



