HORSEMANSHIP 117 



somewhat abruptly to examine the obstacle, 

 its rider went right on without stopping, and 

 landed on his head in the rivulet. 



To empty the sewage from his boots, to dis- 

 entangle the watercress from his hair, to cross 

 the stream, and climb the post and rails, was 

 the work of a moment, and in less time than it 

 takes to describe Lord Porpentine had caught 

 Boanerges, and was vainly endeavouring to 

 mount him. Owing to the gross carelessness 

 of a groom (who, I am glad to say, was after- 

 wards dismissed without a character), the 

 girths had not been buckled sufficiently tightly. 

 As soon, therefore, as the rider put his foot into 

 the stirrup, the saddle began to turn slowly 

 round; and the more strenuously Lord Porpen- 

 tine climbed up, like a convict on the treadmill, 

 the faster the saddle revolved, until at last, 

 when the rest of the field came up, his appear- 

 ance and behaviour so closely resembled those 

 of a squirrel in a cage that some particularly 

 witty member of the hunt — and they can be 

 very witty in North Dorset, though they don't 

 often take the trouble — offered him two hazel- 

 nuts and a piece of parsley if he would allow 

 himself to be photographed in that position. 



Uncle Porpentine was by this time making 

 about thirty-five revolutions a minute, and so 

 intense was the friction set up by these manoeu- 



