106 THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



" Oli/^ said I^ " a beggarly account of unjumpt 

 fences^ or a fence ratlier^ for I tried but one^ and 

 tliat did not suit liis taste ; so we have toddled 

 gently back, perfect good friends, to pay our 

 respects to you." 



" So/' said my friend, laughing, " you allow 

 the schoolmaster was beat ? " 



" I allow much more ; I own him to have 

 cowardly given in without in any urgent way 

 making battle : but," said I, " recollect I had ' no 

 spur to prick the side of my intent ' (or rather 

 horse) in the first place ; in the second, I have 

 seen too much to let ^vaulting ambition' have 

 much weight with me ; but bet me a few dozen 

 of your capital old port on the event, and the 

 grey and I will enter the lists against each other, 



and then ' D be he who first cries Hold, 



enough.' Your grey," continued I, " is, em- 

 blematically speaking, one of those ^ few fine 

 young men ' v/e see advertised for, and then see 

 as recruits, — a fine fellow, but wants a deuced 

 deal of drilling, and this is not ' in my vocation, 

 Hal.' At all events, he is worth a trial, and if, as 

 I suspect," he never makes a hunter, turn him 

 over to the phaeton : he will, happy fellow ! be 

 sure to find favour in the ladies' eyes, and if any 

 portion of that is transferred to you, his worth 

 will be beyond that of an entire stud more suited 

 to my humbler pursuits and deserts." 



