04 WHIP AND SPUE. 



January, Davidson had ridden over, with his fol- 

 lowing, to dine with us ; and as we were sitting 

 before our mess-tent, mellow with after-dinner 

 talk of our guns and our dogs and our horses, 

 the General was good enough to remember that 

 he had seen me riding a chestnut that he thought 

 much too finely bred for field work : had I been 

 able to keep him? Then Ruby was discussed, 

 and all his successes were recalled, first by one 

 friend and then by another, until Davidson needed 

 ocular proof of our truthfulness. 



Ike had taken the hint, and brought Ruby 

 round in due time, — glistening like gold in the 

 slanting rays of the setting sun, but blundering 

 along with his head down and ears drooping in 

 his old, dismal way. 



" no, I don't mean that horse," said David- 

 son ; " I mean a very high-strung horse I have 

 seen you ride on the march." 



"Very well, General, that is the animal; he 

 keeps his strings loose when he is not at his 

 work." 



" No, I have seen you riding a far better horse 



