THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 137 



hailed with joy by all parties, and by none more than 

 Sam Perren and the huntsman. But Frank Raby came 

 under the denomination of " one whom everybody likes," 

 a characteristic which, indeed, he preserved to the last 

 day of his life. 



Shortly after his return to the Abbey, a grand enter- 

 tainment was given by a neighbouring Baronet intended 

 to have been given under the canopy of heaven, in his 

 beautiful grounds ; but a shower of rain making its 

 appearance which caused his lady to declare she had a 

 great mind to go and live in that country where no rain 

 falls the company adjourned to the mansion-house, which, 

 had ample means of accommodating them. A ball, at 

 night, was the result, and as it was the first at which our 

 hero had appeared since he had assumed the manly gown, 

 he was an object of some interest in the assembly. 



" What a fine young man Frank Raby is become ! " was 

 the remark overheard in one quarter. 



"He has a very manly appearance, in addition to his 

 good looks," was whispered in another. 



" How like a gentleman he looks ! " in a third. 



" There appears to be no affectation about him," in a 

 fourth. 



" God never made a coxcomb worth a groat," muttered a 

 gouty old gentleman, who overheard the last encomium ; 

 ' there never was a bad Raby yet, and I think Frank will 

 keep up the charter, as well as his brother Andrew." 



" Oh ! " remarked a fair lady, who had two daughters in 

 the room, " / think Andrew is superior of the two. It is 

 true, his health is delicate, and requires care, but he is a 

 most amiable young man, and of a more intellectual turn 

 of mind than his younger brother. For my own part, I 

 do not know whether or not I exactly like Frank Raby ; 

 I think his father has acted wrong in letting him be so 

 much with Sir John Inkleton, Avho, we know, although a 

 good-hearted young man, has some strange propensities, 

 and is also very extravagant. I am told he spends a 

 thousand a year amongst coachmen and guards, and I 

 hear that he has made Frank Raby as fond of coach- 

 driving and fox-hunting as he himself is. If Frank were 

 the elder, instead of the younger, brother, all this would 

 not be so material ; but as his chief dependence, to pursue 

 such expensive pleasures, is on his uncle, I wish he may 

 not place it on a broken staff. I know Mr. Beaumont 



