83 THE LIFE OF A KACEIIORSE. 



back, laughed right heartily. Robert's gravity, however, was 

 not in the least disturbed by this ebullition of mirth, and he 

 took up the thread of his discourse in a manner and tone 

 amounting almost to solemnity. 



" I saw 'm sold at the 'ammer' to-day, sir," — perhaps a small 

 fly or gnat took possession of one of Robert's eyes, for he 

 brushed it hastily with the back of the unoccupied hand — 

 *^ and makin' up my mind that whosoever bought the 'oss 

 should have the cat — why, here he is." 



" Yell, veil," ejaculated my purchaser, " they're old pals, I 

 s'pose." 



" Old, true, and tried," replied Robert, and dropping Toby 

 lightly from his arm, he bounded upon the edge of the crib, 

 and began to purr a song of happier hours. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



By WHAT I DO I SHOW WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE. 



Eeoji Tattersall's I was taken to a public training stable in the 

 vicinity of the well-known town of E2:)som, and upon the 

 undulated Downs stretching far and wide in the distance — the 

 scene of racing and hawking long centuries ago — I took my 

 daily exercise, and went through precisely the same ordeal as 

 that I hitherto had undergone in preparation for my engage- 

 ments at Newmarket. I neither disliked my new trainer, nor 

 the lad appointed in the place of Harry Dale ; for as far 

 as their attention to my health and comfort was concerned, 

 nothing could exceed the care and kindness I received at their 

 hands. I had lost, however, the familiar faces of those who 

 knew and loved me ; and every one and everything around 

 looked strange but Toby. With stoical indifference he appeared 

 to care nothing about the change in our condition, but was ever 

 ready to beguile the time we passed together in play, or drow- 

 sily purring, on the edge of the crib, his oft-repeated minstrelsy. 

 I do not suppose the name by which my attendant was dis- 

 tinguished properly belonged to him j but he answered to that 



