86 AN ADVENTURE 



seemed to allay the pugnacious spirit of some of the 

 party, who had evinced a strong inclination to bestow on 

 us that sort of punishment our mad attempt at fun had 

 so richly deserved ; and this perhaps was in a great 

 measure prevented by the superior tact and determination 

 of my companion, who personally knew several of the 

 men. As if to aggravate my offence, standing in the 

 crowded bar, my spurs and sword became entangled in 

 some choice dresses that lay in one corner of the floor 

 after a day's bleaching, which roused the indignation of 

 the landlady ; and no doubt a summary ejectment would 

 have been effected had I not hastily made my escape, 

 mounted, and rode off. The sergeant-major soon followed 

 and overtook me, and after congratulating each other on 

 the result of so foolish an adventure, we said "good- 

 night." 



On the folloAving morning I called and made my peace 

 with the landlady, by liberally paying her demand for 

 all damages sustained.^ 



CD 



1 On a recent excursion for the benefit of my health, I by chance 

 entered an inn in a market-town in Sussex. A gentleman, with 

 hoary locks hke myself, sitting with a pint of wine before him, 

 attracted my attention. I felt convinced I had seen him before, and, 

 after strictly scrutinizing his features, I recognized my old friend the 

 sergeant-major, although I had seen him but once in forty years- 

 Addressing him rather abruptly, I said, " If ever I saw E. G. I see 

 him now! " He rose from his seat, and said, "You are right, sir, 

 but I have no recollection of you." I asked him if he was not once 

 a non-commissioned ofiicer in the Hants Yeomanry Cavalry. He 

 said, certainly. I then recalled this incident to his memory ; he 

 instantly grasped my hand, and, shaking his head at the same time, 

 said, " Now I know you, for none but T. C. would have led the way ; 

 and I never pass the house," he added, " without a vivid recollec- 

 tion of all the circumstances, and the danger w^e were in, as well 

 from the crazy state of the building as from our wanton indiscretion." 



