238 WHIP AND SPUR. 



for keeping out of the way of others, — taking 

 always the easiest and safest road that will bring 

 him well up with the hounds, not flinching when 

 a desperate leap must be taken, and following (at 

 a respectful distance) a good leader, rather than 

 trying to take the lead himself. However prom- 

 ising the prospect may be, he had better not do 

 anything on his own hook ; if he makes a conspic- 

 uous mistake, he will probably be corrected for it 

 in plainer English than it is pleasant to hear. 



One of the memorable days of my life was the 

 day before New- Year's. Ford had secured me a 

 capital hunter, a well- clipped gelding, over six- 

 teen hands high, glossy, lean, and wiry as a racer. 

 " You 've got a rare mount to-day, sir," said the 

 groom as he held him for me to get up ; and a 

 rare dismount I came near having in the little 

 measure of capacity with which Master Dick and 

 I commenced our acquaintance, before we left the 

 Regent. He was one of those horses whose spirits 

 are just a little too much for their skins, and all 

 the way out he kept up a restless questioning of 



