A VERSATILE GENIUS. 185 



men of hunting as could be seen/^ The Master 

 made a complimentary reply, moved his hat, and 

 we moved oft'. 



On reaching home, " Is Jack come ? '^ said I to 

 a strapper that I had for three or four seasons 

 engaged for six months each year. 



'' Yes, sir." 



"And brought the materials ? " said I. 



" All right, sir," says the fellow, grinning with 

 delight from ear to ear. 



Ben was too much of a character not to be 

 introduced to my reader. " He had been brought 

 up in a racing stable, and till he was fifteen was 

 very small and light. At that age he knew as 

 much as many old men, and consequently rode 

 light w^eights for the stable. All at once he 

 increased in height and size, so as to be useless in 

 a racing stable: he was then employed in livery 

 stables. At twenty he was thirteen stone. He 

 has been everything; has fought several minor 

 pitched battles ; is a wrestler, dog-fancier, a capital 

 shot; has been a coachman, guard, colt-breaker, 

 and ostler at inns. He has various accomplish- 

 ments of rather a singular description : eases his 

 companions of their loose cash, when he can, at 

 thimble-rig, pricking in the garter, and cards ; 

 has all the notes of Punch in perfection, turns a 

 somersault, and drinks a quart of ale standing on 

 his head. With all this, and I dare say other 



