122 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



happy days I passed within its walls 1 They never have 

 been surpassed by any others, and I more than doubt 

 whether they ever will be. I am now, however, travel- 

 ling in a new direction, and shall meet with none but 

 new faces on this road. But so it is : and there are the 

 nags all ready for us in the street, and we will change 

 quickly, that we may get a good place on the course." 



Not ten minutes had elapsed before they were off again, 

 having ordered a dinner at the " Bush " to be ready for 

 them on their return, some particular dishes having been 

 bespoke by the insides. " What a splendid team you have 

 got here, Inkleton," said the Captain, as they threw 

 themselves into their collars, in ascending the hill out of 

 Egham, appearing to regard the weight of the carriage 

 and its contents as nothing more than was just necessary 

 to the full development of their great powers and form. In 

 fact, on the flat between the two towns, it was as much 

 as Sir John could do to restrain their ardour, so redun- 

 dant did they feel themselves of high keep and mettle. 



" They ought to be good," replied the Baronet ; " those 

 leaders cost me two hundred guineas apiece, and the 

 wheelers more than two-thirds of the sum. There will be 

 nothing on the road to-day that can touch them, if they 

 would settle down to the trot, but, from the effect of the 

 excitement of a race-course, so new to them, there is little 

 chance of their doing so. All I can hope for, is, that 

 they will not break away with me, on our return from the 

 ground ; but I have little fear of it, as my tackle is good." 



On entering Windsor great park one of the grandest 

 the world can show the conversation was resumed about 

 Eton, whose " antique towers " were now visible to the 

 party ; and to those who had been educated there, some 

 old associations presented themselves. 



" Yonder is the old shop," said the Baronet to Hargrave. 



" Yes," replied Hargrave, " and I never wish to be 

 nearer to it than I now am." 



' Nor I neither," observed Frank Raby. 



" I have no great fancy for the place myself," added 

 the Baronet, " but I should like to see old Stevens and 

 Jack Hall once more." 



"By-the-by," resumed Hargrave, "did you hear of the 

 good bit of luck Jack Hall dropped into the other day ? " 



On the Baronet replying in the negative, Hargrave thus 

 related the story : 



