74 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



the gee-gee? Well, he's for sale, you know. How much'll 

 you give for hmi, eh ? " 



Hereupon Mr. Konald Dennison laughed lightly, and 

 observed that he couldn't be buyer and seller too. 



" How much do you want for him, Mr. Binkie ? " said he. 



"Oh, as much as I can get, you know," and the meaning- 

 less blue eye was turned full upon the stranger. " I want a 

 hundred for him, but if you won't give that, why, I'll take 

 less, you know." 



"May I just put a leg over him?" asked Mr. Dennison. 

 " Five minutes on him is all I want." 



Even that limited period was far more than Mr. Binkie him- 

 self wanted of his noble steed. The horse was ordered round, 

 and came, though Avith many grumblings on the part of the 

 grooms, as they had bedded him down, after ' doing him over ' 

 thoroughly. Mr. Dennison was even less than the stipulated 

 five minutes on him. He trotted him sharply down the drive, 

 and then cantered him up the park-land beside it. 



" I've seen him jump, and know all about that," he said, as 

 he slipped off the saddle. "The only thing wrong with him 

 that I can see is that he is a bolter. That, of course, takes a 

 lot off his value. But if you would like me to make you an 

 offer, Mr. Binkie, I'll give you fifty guineas for him." 



" Oh, really ! but then I should lose — at least Pa would 

 lose — such an awful lot, eh ? Oh, I think I'd better send him 

 up to Aldridge's." 



"All right. I'll go up, if you'll say what day he's to be 

 sold, and bid for him. He's a good horse, I know, but I'm a 

 poor man and couldn't afford to hunt at all unless I gave very 

 little money for my horses. Thanks very much, all the same, 



