ITOESES Ayj) HOUNDS. 43 



ter's horses ? One day my friend came to me with a very rueful 

 visage, saying his horse was taken very ill, and Thomas had 

 advised him to send for the farrier of the village. 



" Send," I said, " for the butcher at once." 



" Why," he said, " I did not know what to do ; and Thomas 

 said the horse was very ill, and he should go for the farrier." 



" Well," I said, " the horse belongs to you, and you can do as 

 you like ; but I'll bet you five pounds that if Mr. Bolter crams 

 one of his fire balls down his throat he will be carrion by to- 

 morrow morning." 



" Oh !" he said, " what shall I do ? Pray come and see him, 

 for I fear the farrier is arrived already ; and the horse cost me 

 one hundred and twenty guineas." 



" So many shillings," I said, " he is not worth if Mr. Bolter 

 once handles him." 



He hurried me down to the stable at once, and fortunately 

 the furrier had not made his appearance — his stopping to mix 

 up the precious comx)Ound he usually crammed down horses' 

 throats upon all occasions, upon this, saved the liorse's life. 

 Upon examining him, I found him suffering from incipient in- 

 flammation, no doubt produced by Mr. Thomas's condition 

 balls, and the chances were fifty to one against his recovery. I 

 told my friend there was only one course to pursue, and that 

 instantly must be done — to send to the nearest large town for a 

 clever veterinary surgeon, to bring with him his apparatus for 

 injecting warm water and gruel, to unload and soothe the intes- 

 tines. A man on horseback was directly despatched on this 

 errand, and no sooner was he gone than the village professor 

 made his appearance. Being always, open to conviction if 

 wrong, and vrishing also to hear the opinion of my learned 

 friend, ^Ir. Bolter, I held my peace. My friend and Thornas 

 held a consultation together, and I could see Mr. Bolter's advice 

 about the nice cooling ball that he had brought with him being 

 given at once, was on the point of being adopted, when it was 

 time to step in to the rescue of the poor horse. 



" Pray, jlr. Bolter,'* I said, " will you allow me to see the 

 ball you are so strongly recommending r 



" Oh, sir, by all manner of means : here it is." 



Tlie smell was sufficient. 



" Will you tell me," I said, " what this ball contains ? 



*' Oh no, sir, you know we never tells out of school ; but it is 

 summut I mixes," with a very knowing look. 



"Well, then,'' I said, "as you are so communicative, I will 

 tell you some oi the ingredients — all I do not pretend to. Your 

 occult science has, no doubt, many secrets which are far too 



