Did you ever Drive a Jibber down to a Fight? 267 



up) than the Capten began to groan as if he were seized with a 

 sudden fit of the cholera. 



" Oh ! this dreadful cramp ! Just catch hold of the reins and let 

 me jump out and shake my leg a bit or I shall go mad !" 



I was taken completely off my guard, seized hold of the reins, the 

 Capten jumped down (certainly, for a man with a violent fit of 

 the cramp on him, he was wonderfully active), and disappeared 

 among the gigs and carts, which were just forming in one dense 

 mass by the roadside. He certainly did "shake his leg" to some 

 purpose, for I never saw him again. 



I sat wondering what would be the next move, when I was 

 roughly told, in language more emphatic than polite, not to block 

 up the road, but to move on one way or the other ; and, as I would 

 rather miss the fight altogether than tackle that horse single-handed 

 in such a rough mob, I jumped down and led him out of the way 

 of farther mischief. That I must now lose the fight I felt certain, 

 because, as I was answerable for the horse, I must get him some- 

 where in safety, and there was nothing for it but to try and reach 

 the red-brick house in the distance ; and, as it was less trouble to 

 walk altogether and lead the horse, than to keep jumping up and 

 down from the dog-cart, I led him the whole way, and found to 

 my relief, when I arrived at the house that it was a roadside inn. 



My feelings just then "could be better imagined than described." 

 To be put to the expense and trouble of coming so far merely to 

 lose the fight, an'd, moreover, to be done so cleverly by the Capten, 

 who, I felt certain, would not forget to tell it to his friends at the 

 ring-side, was too much to be borne (at least patiently), and I was 

 in no very amiable humour when I led the horse into the inn-yard, 

 and gave him in charge of an ostler. My savage reply to the man's 

 civil question as to what he should give him " An ounce ball 

 through his head if I had my way " caused the man to stare open- 

 mouthed at me. I fancy he regarded me as a lunatic j and it was 

 not till I explained to him all the circumstances of the case, that he 

 appeared to be fully at his ease. 



" Well, sir, that is annoying," remarked the good-natured fellow 

 as he proceeded to take the horse out of harness. " But I'll tell 



