PUECHASING HOUSES. 35 



most wicked, though by no means ill-natured smile, 

 to curl the lip of the friend at the term "stud" 

 being used ; yet, courteously making no remark on. 

 the inappropriateness of the term, he simply threw 

 out a hint that " Mr, Tattersall having usually, at that 

 particular time of year, some extensive and valuable 

 studs on hand, he would recommend that of our hero 

 being sent forthwith to Dixon's, where they would 

 meet every attention, and probably attract the notice 

 of some of the young East-enders who wished to be 

 well mounted.*' At the words " well mounted," he 

 gave a peculiar kind of gulp, as we do if we get hold 

 of an oyster, the flavour of which is equivocal. Our 

 hero gave a particular look towards his adviser, indi- 

 cative of a suspicion of his real motives in giving this 

 advice, and at the same time an unwilUngness to 

 have those suspicions confirmed. It was lucky that 

 he did so, for his friend was quite the man to have 

 said at once, if pushed to extremity, "Send the 

 brutes where you are certain they will be sold at 

 once ; and I will give you, unasked, another bit of 

 advice— having got rid of the horses, get rid of the 



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