312 POTATOES AND HORSES AU NATUREL. 



the horse meant by the term good shows that Bob con- 

 siders him his best horse. Quickener the second: 

 " Why, I wants to take him to the gemman what 

 bid you money for him just now ; he wants a friend 

 to see him." " Oh ! he's welcome to show HE to who 

 he likes ; but mind I won't take no less." Quickeners 

 4, 5, 6, and 7 : out comes the horse, the lip-string pro- 

 perly tightened up : no need of ginger that was right 

 before : some need of the spurs ; so in they go now, 

 and off goes Rascal, making the best show possible. 

 Quickeners, God knows how many ; for the gentleman, 

 not thinking the horse is being set off to any particu- 

 lar advantage, the intended purchaser not being pre- 

 sent (or anywhere else), he congratulates himself on 

 having seen the horse au nature^ as the Frenchman 

 said of the first potato he ever saw, and consequently 

 ate raw the only difference being, Monsieur did not 



like the potato at all, whereas Mr. likes the horse 



very much. While the other is gone, Bob shows the 

 Gentleman two or three others ; praises them more 

 than he does the one he intends the Gentleman to buy : 

 this shows he is not anxious to sell him. Back comes 

 Rascal ; times it to come up just when he has the 

 horse mettled and settled to his best pace : " Now if 

 you like to take a fair price, I have sold him : the 

 Gentleman will give the guineas and no farther trou- 

 ble." The quickening is now going on very fast, 

 indeed almost boiling : "I won't take the money, so 

 put him in." " Why, you'll make three pound clear 

 by him, so let him have him."- " I tell you I won't ; 

 I won't stand none of his haggling: he shan't have 

 him at no price now : so there ! put him in."- -Rascal 

 jumps off in a passion, damns Bob and his horse, and 

 swears "he'll never try to sell ahorse for him again." 



