28 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



Jack sighed. This want of confidence struck at the very 

 root of his commercial prosperity. However, he couldn't help 

 himself, and agreed to produce the money on the following 

 day. Then he took leave of the Honourable Archibald, 

 climbed up into his — or, more correctly speaking, into Mr. 

 Binkie's — dogcart, and prepared to return. 



" He's sound, of course ? You'll warrant him " 



"What?" 



" Sound wind and eyes. Good hunter, in fact ? " 



" I'll warrant him sound wind and eyes. Yes, I'll do that." 



"Well then, I'll be off;" and nodding a farewell. Jack 

 drew the reins through his fingers, chirruped to the fat, solid- 

 looking beast in the shafts, and drove away down the avenue 

 and through the lodge-gate on his way back to The Chase. 



Going along, he had plenty of time to think over what he 

 would say to his friend, and to consider how much he could 

 reasonably hope to screw out of him. This was but a small 

 transaction, and the profits would be in proportion. However, 

 thought Mr. Dashwood, ' httle fish are sweet,' and in the 

 near future, perhaps, he would get some better chance of 

 conveying a profit to his own pocket. Jack invariably spoke 

 of this process as ' trousering it.' 



As the wheel of the dogcart crunched the gravel outside 

 The Chase again, Mr. Binkie Junior, accompanied, rather to 

 Jack's annoyance, by Sir Tommy, came round the shrubbery. 



"Well?" said the former; "how much did you have to 

 give for him ? " 



"Oh, most obdurate brute, this Crocker; wouldn't take a 



ha'penny less than ," here ensued a momentary pause, 



whilst Jack gave a last fleeting thought as to how much 



