20 THE LIFE OF A HACEHOESE. 



out, Ilany — I say it as a bless- eel truth — tliere wouldn't be 

 such a deal o' boltin', kickin, rearin', sv*'ervin', shyin', buckin', 

 and sight o' breakdowns as we see with our precious eyes 

 a'niost every day we live." 



"T-s-h — p-s-h !" spluttered Harry Dale. 



"You're a smart lad," resumed Kobert, slightly widening 

 the distance between his legs as he spoke ; " and if so be ye 

 keep your peepers well to the keyholes o' the world, Harry, 

 may I be kicked to death by grasshoppers but you'll be a credit 

 to tne ! and it takes something to do that, remember, as the 

 head o' the Top family." 



To this double-edged compliment Harry respectfully pulled 

 the straight piece of dark shining bro^vn hair upon his fore- 

 head, T/hich v/as cultivated to grow in the exact form of a 

 duck's tail. 



" But to have anythin' but a blank in the raffle," continued 

 Kobert, senteiitiously, " you must do what I tell ye, Harry, say 

 what I tell ye, and do nothin', and say nothin', I tell ye not to 

 do or say." 



*' Yessir," responded Harry, giving the duck's tail another 

 pull. 



"Very good," returned Mr. Top, making an effort to get 

 his hands and arms an inch or two deeper. " Very good," re- 

 peated he, as if pleased with the prompt acquiescence ; " then 

 just prick your ears for'ard, and take a lesson of sooi^erior 

 quality." 



Harry quitted his task temporarily, but remained upon his 

 knees during Mr. Top's address. 



"I've a notion," commenced he, placing his head at an 

 acute angle, "that we've an out-an-out flyer in this colt, Harry ; 

 and, barrin' accident, he will pull us off some o' those good 

 things o' which our stable's been much in want, longer than it's 

 altogether pleasant to think of Nov/ Sellusall, Harry," con- 

 tinued our head groom, in a slow, deliberate tone, "is one o' 

 those common Christians as may be met with a'most as plenti- 

 ia\ as blackberries in autumn, that thinks an' cares only about 



