20i THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



'^ I think I know why you want mine/^ said 

 I, " so you may as well tell me." 



" I want him^ then," said he^ ^' from his being 

 so uncommonly fast." 



" You allude/^ said !_, smiling, " to my going 

 away from you after your fall. Now I will ex- 

 plain this, which will perhaps save you from 

 giving, at some time or other perhaps, an exor- 

 bitant price for some horse that may not be 

 worth it. We had, from your mishap, got a 

 field in the rear. I viewed the fox into the 

 gorse, saw he Avas dead beat, so rather uncere- 

 moniously gave you the go-by ; I could have 

 done this at any moment during the day. This 

 merely shows that my horse could beat yours in 

 a race, but is by no means an incontestable proof 

 that as a hunter he can get over a country faster 

 than yours. He has those powers of increased 

 speed, for a short distance, that wins a race, and 

 it seems has captivated you ; but recollect that 

 such speed could only last for a field or so. A 

 slow hunter I detest, because he is always at 

 his best, which must always distress both horse 

 and rider; but your horse is very fast. The 

 little spurt I made was not absolutely necessary, 

 it was merely a little bit of pride to be up at the 

 moment the fox was run into. Your horse is as 

 nearly thorough-bred as one not quite so can be, 

 and is, I should say, fast enough to win a hunter's 



