320 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



course, your stone must be large enough, otherwise it 

 will fall down or the gate shut on it without result. 

 Very many times did I and my companion, in journey- 

 ings between Coxwold and Thirsk, perform this feat and 

 lay the disabled gate by the roadside. 



But the owner was not to be easily defeated, and 

 having procured more powerful hinges, he had .them 

 riveted on the other sides of the posts, thinking that, so, 

 their removal was impossible. In this he was right ; 

 but, inasmuch as the leverage power compelled some- 

 thing to give way, these extra precautions only resulted 

 in the gates themselves breaking right in two, whence 

 arose much more damage and trouble in repairing. 



Nevertheless, the indomitable owner stuck to his 

 work, and even caused placards to be printed of " Five 

 Pounds Reward. Whereas some evil disposed person 



or persons did on or about the day of unlawfully 



and maliciously, etc., etc." 



But detection of the offenders did not ensue. Nay, 

 we even tore down the offending structures once more 

 the very night after this proclamation was issued, and, 

 this time, with immense labour, conveyed them far 

 away. This we did by keeping one end of the gates 

 on the foot-board of the dogcart, and holding up the 

 other end, until such time as we cast them into a 

 deep ditch. 



But still the owner returned to the charge. Due 

 search was made for the gates and the lost were found 

 and replaced. 



So far this may seem, as Charley's Aunt would say, 



a "d d silly story," but now comes the real point 



of interest the time appeared to have come when 

 something more decisive should be done to those gates, 



