64 CONFESSIONS OF A HOESE DEALEB. 



lar practice to get drunk every day. He very frequently 

 staggered into the sale-yard while the auctions were 

 going on, and foolishly offered a price for every horse run 

 up to the rostrum. I will, however, do the auctioneer 

 the justice to say that he frequently cautioned him, but 

 all to no purpose ; for as sure as another sale day came, 

 BO sure it brought " Old Roby " staggering into the yard 

 and elbowing his way up to the front of the rostrum, he 

 bid indiscriminately for every horse run up. The auc- 

 tioneer lost his temper, and determined to put a " stop- 

 per " on at once, and for ever. He knew that Old Roby 

 was good for any reasonable amount, therefore the trap 

 was laid and the victim was caught. 



On the following sale day a handsome bay gelding 

 with flowing mane and tail, and a coat on his back as- 

 sleek as a mole, was run up to the rostrum. 



" Twenty guineas," said Old Roby. 



""Well done, Roby !" said a coper. 



" Five-and-twenty," bid a gentlemanly-looking indi- 

 vidual, planted for the purpose. 



" Thirty," said Mr. Roby; and "Well done, Roby I" 

 was repeated from another quarter. 



" Forty," said the plant. 



" Now, Roby," came from a voice in the crowd, and 

 Roby quickly answered : 



" Fifty." 



" Well done, Roby !" said the same voice. 



" Any advance upon fifty guineas for the magnificent 

 bay gelding ?" enquired the auctioneer, looking at the 



