THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. io= 



" Well, he's a genuine horse, that. I couldn't take less 

 than what the Honourable Spanker was going to give me." 



" but didn't ! " said Jack sarcastically. The Honourable 



Spanker yarn was all very well for Binkie, but Jack knew 

 these pretty little fables of the 'yards.' He had been there 

 before. 



"That's nothing to do with it," said 'Honest Edward.' 

 " There's nothing against the horse " 



" Except that he's as old as a man," interjected Mr. Dash- 

 wood, flipping the end oft" his cigar. 



Mr. Fobbs scanned him narrowly. " I'll take a 'underd 

 and eighty for him — not a shillin' less," he said, and then 

 watched Jack from the corner of his eye to see the efi'ect of 

 his announcement. 



" H'm. And where do I come in ? " coolly asked Jack. 



" Oh, there's no margin off tJiat price, I do assure ye. 

 There's no room for any ' comin' in.' " 



Jack blew a cloud of smoke from his lips, buttoned up his 

 coat, and said — 



" Then there's no buyer, Mr. Fobbs, that's all. Otherwise 

 I think I should have advised my friend to have him." 



' Honest Edward ' saw that he was dealing with as clever 

 a gentleman as himself. Binkie was returning, so he said 

 quickly in interrogative tones — 



" Shillin's on the guineas, then '? " and Mr. Dashwood 

 nodded his head in token of agreement. 



" Eipping good horse this, Trousers ; and, by Jove, you 

 rode him over those hurdles deuced well." Then, as the 

 delighted Binkie got off, sticking out what he thought was his 

 chest, proudly, at the imminent risk of splitting his fancy- 



