THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 115 



in June- and at the hour of ten o'clock, Sir John's team 

 was at the door of Stevens's Hotel, and nothing could be 

 more correct in its appointments. The coach was a bright 

 yellow, neatly picked out with black, and a plain crest on 

 the upper door-pannel. The mountings were, of course, of 

 brass, to suit the furniture of the harness ; there were roof- 

 irons to the front roof, which held three persons, and 

 a comfortable dickey behind, to carry the two servants. 

 The box was likewise on the true coaching principle, made 

 to sail forwards towards the wheel-horses, with a good 

 roomy footboard, and well-cushioned seat, allowing plenty 

 of elbow-room for two. The horses were dappled greys, 

 which did credit to all parties ; first, to their owner, for 

 the selection of them ; next, to the men who had the care 

 of them : for the white hairs on their bodies were as 

 white as the driven snow, and their harness equally well 

 polished. But Sir John's order for soap was unlimited, 

 one severe tax on the use of grey coach-horses ; and it is 

 said he never grumbled if the year's bill for that purifying 

 article did not exceed 100 ! 



The party assembled on this occasion, and the arrange- 

 ment of them about the coach, were as follows : Frank 

 Raby, according to promise, on the box (the word " bench " 

 was not in use in those days), by the side of his friend ; 

 on the roof, Lord Edmoiiston, Captain Askham, and Ha r 

 grave, whom our hero had introduced to his friend, who 

 kindly offered him a seat : inside were two friends of 

 the Baronet's, non-coaching men, and an old and warm 

 relation, who promised to pay for the champagne, both on 

 the course and at dinner, for the four days of the meeting, 

 on condition that he was not upset, either in going or 

 returning. 



Now, of the majority of this party it is not necessary to 

 say much. Lord Edmonston, Hargrave, our hero, and 

 his friend, have already been before the public ; and the 

 insides, on this occasion, were good and worthy gentlemen 

 in their line, but of no pretensions in ours. There was, 

 however, one conspicuous character on the way-bill, which 

 must not be passed over, inasmuch as his career in life, up 

 to a certain period of it, is, we may presume, without a 

 parallel in the line in which he figured. This is Captain 

 Askham, holding his commission in one of our heavy 

 dragoon regiments, whose history is nearly this : 



At the age of twenty-one, he succeeded" to an estate, the 



