THE HAUGHTY SHI RE HUNT. 35 



were brought round from the stables, and the trio proceeded 

 to mount. 



" Whoa-o-o, my trim-built ^Yherry ! " cried Mr. Jack, as he 

 caught hold of his horse's mane, and made Avild dives at the 

 dangling stirrup-iron with his foot. "If j'ou're not, strictly 

 speaking, a trim-built wherry, you're at least werry trim-built," 

 he added, as he swung himself into his saddle. "Buck up. 

 Trousers, and mount gentty, or I'm hanged if you won't split 

 that elegant pair of Tautz's, and ' what would the robins do 

 then, poor things ? ' I think he's made 'em a bit too Tautz. 

 Now, Tommy, are you going to be all the morning learning that 

 new pastime of dancing round on one toe with the other in the 

 stirrup ? Here, what are the rules ? Can't we play this 

 game, too ? don't keep a good thing all to yourself, you know ; " 

 and amid a running fire of the facetious Dashwood's chaft", the 

 friends eventually settled down in their saddles, and were 

 fairly under way. 



The behaviour of the new acquisition was all that could 

 possibly be desired. Marmion, by Capulet, walked along 

 between the two 'hirelings,' as sober as a judge, and certainly 

 looking the gentleman of the party. Trousers was pro- 

 portionately proud. He even started a mild cigarette on the 

 strength of it. 



After a short ride through devious lanes, and across one 

 grass field, the trio turned out of a gateway by a pond, and 

 found themselves facing a crowd of mounted si^ortsmen and 

 women, standing or walking about around a small, triangular 

 piece of grass, in the centre of which stood a battered and 

 wholly useless signpost. At the far side of the road was a little 

 public-house, with a signboard idly swaying to-and-fro in the 



D 2 



