34 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



have his chestnut horse saddled and at the door by 10.30. 

 With much pain, he managed, under instruction by his man, 

 to get into the snowy white breeches and top-boots, fastened 

 on his spurs with the buckles inside — an error which was 

 fortunately seen and rectified by his invaluable servant — and 

 then he proceeded to struggle into the yards of spotless 

 cambric which were to encircle his throat. Five minutes 

 later, Mr. Binkie strode stiffly down the stairs, the clonk, 

 clonk, of his long-necked spurs sounding most satisfactorily 

 in his ears. Yes, he was ' going to give the girls a treat ' 

 when they saw him in this ' get-up,' and no mistake ! 



Jack Dashwood, who, with Sir Tommy, was seated at the 

 table already, and demolishing eggs, ham, and game-pie at a 

 pace which threatened sudden death to any one not blessed 

 with the digestion of an ostrich, gave vent, as his host appeared, 

 to a 'view holloa,' which would have put a Thames foghorn 

 to the blush. 



" ' Hail, all hail, my sucking Nimrod ! ' as the cove says in 

 the play, or if he doesn't, he ought to, anyway. Sit down and 

 make yourself at home ; don't mind me ! " he exclaimed, 

 kindly welcoming Binkie to his own table. "Have a devilled 

 kidney and mushroom ? " 



Mr. Binkie made a somewhat light breakfast, to tell the 

 truth. Much as he desired the kudos of hunting, it was not 

 without a certain amount of misgiving that he entered upon 

 his first day of it. Still, he made up for his lack of appetite 

 by what Jack called a strict attention to his drinkytite, and 

 fortified by the 'jumping powder,' and also by the fact that 

 his two very knowing young friends would be with him at his 

 (Uhit, Trousers was feeling fairly confident when the horses 



