342 CUTTING IN AND CUTTING OUT. 



going forward : he is not always seen in the yard ; 

 but is enough there to know every horse in it, and 

 somewhere about his price. Well ! he sees a gentleman 

 looking at one there. Knowing the horse, he knows 

 at once the^ description of animal wanted : he does 

 not of course openly interfere in this case, or even 

 suffer himself to be seen if he can prevent it : he has 

 had a glimpse of the horse from the street, and that 

 is enough for him. The gentleman leaves the yard : 

 if he has so closed the bargain as to be unable to be 

 off it, or, as Meddler says, to be choked off, Mr. Med- 

 dler has lost his chance : but very probably the cus- 

 tomer may not have quite done this : my life on it 

 Meddler trots after him. " Beg your pardon, Sir, I 



saw you looking at a horse in 's yard. I know 



the horse very well ; he was bought (so and so) : I 

 don't wish to interfere I'm sure, but I know a horse 

 would suit you exactly : he belongs to a PRIVATE GEN- 

 TLEMAN " (or TRADESMAN, as the case may be). He 

 takes the customer to see the horse or others, if he 

 can persuade him to do so : in fact, having got hold 

 of him, he never leaves him if he can help it ; and 

 thus takes a customer from the dealer, and, further, 

 secures one for himself. Thus are these sneaks the 

 bane of dealers. It is true they may order Mr. 

 Meddler not to enter their yard ; but then, in certain 

 situations, by making such a man an enemy, his tongue 

 can (and it will not be his fault if it does not) do an 

 incredible deal of mischief; so the dealer is forced to 

 bear the nuisance, and manage as well as he can, by 

 from time to time throwing a sop to these Cerberi. 



At fairs you will be sure to find Meddler: he is 

 either taken there by, or goes to meet, some dealer 

 from a distance ; the dealer is aware Meddler knows 



