THE HAUGHTY SHI RE HUNT. 29 



bleeding Binlde ^YOuld stand — "than a hundred-and-fifteen 

 guineas, and point blank refused to keep the offer open whilst 

 I communicated \Yith you. He said he had another man 

 waiting at the stables with that money in his hand, ready to 

 take the horse away." 



"Eeally!" came the squeaky voice, in somewhat dis- 

 appointed tones. " So you lost him ? '.' 



' ' On the contrary, I bought him — then and there — had to 

 pay for him, too. And all in the sacred cause of friendship," 

 he added airily, with one eye on Binkie and the other on the 

 hawk-like countenance of Sir Thomas. 



Sir Thomas shook his head and winked his eye — imper- 

 ceptibly to Binkie, but plainly understood by Jack, who 

 dropped his whipstock into the bucket with a bang, in order 

 to hide his annoyance, and got out of the cart. 



" So the horse is yours, my fine buck," he said, passing his 

 arm through that of Travers Algernon, and leading him into 

 the house, " and I think you'll find him one of the flyers of 

 the hunt." 



Mr. Binkie Junior didn't know what that meant, but 

 thought it sounded nice. 



" I'll go to Pa and get 3'ou a cheque, then, shall I ? " bleated 

 the hope of the Binkies. 



" So do, my boy, so do. Short reckonings, eh ? ?/o(tknow." 

 Binkie didn't know, but waddled off", as well as his fat little 

 legs and tight trousers permitted, to the paternal sanctum for 

 the cheque. 



Now it may have been a matter for wonderment all this 

 time, why neither of these astute gentlemen had sold one of 

 his own animals to his excellent friend. The reason is not 



