THE HALTER ON THE WRONG ANIMAL. 313 



Bob, equally polite, damns Rascal, and tells him " he 

 don't want him to't. " Now the Gentleman, having 

 no reason to suspect that Rascal knew anything of his 

 wishes for the horse, really considers he has heard a 

 genuine conversation between the two ; and the little 

 gentlemanlike ebullition of temper between them, and 

 Rascal's still surly looks, confirm it : so he thinks he 

 has got what we may term a little stable information 

 about as good and as much to be depended upon as 

 some very cunning people sometimes get from racing 

 establishments. The quickening now boils in right 

 earnest : an offer is made ; the dealer leads the Gentle- 

 man confidentially by the arm a little on one side 

 that no one may hear how cheap he sells him the 

 horse; taking care, however, to keep within ear-shot 

 of Rascal, who may be useful if anything goes wrong. 

 The horse is ordered to the Red Lion, or Scarlet 

 Bear, or wherever the Gentleman likes ; the dealer 

 takes care never to leave the Gentleman till he has 

 touched the cash ; wishes him luck ; gets the luck- 

 penny : and then Rascal and Bob go to dinner : so 

 will possibly the Gentleman, after he has seen his 

 horse the next day Mem. "with what appetite he 

 may." Not that I mean it is certain he has bought an 

 unsound one : perhaps not : still I will answer for it, 

 Rascal showed him better in a halter than Gentleman 

 will with a bridle. I have, however, only shown how in 

 one way a little quickening may be applied. Of course 

 the game is played in various ways, according to cir- 

 cumstances : sometimes a different and the long game 

 has to be played ; whereas short whist did in this case. 

 Now let me explain a little of the by-play that pro- 

 bably escaped Gentleman's notice. I have said the 

 dealer took him by the arm (it's a way they have) a 



