A. WONDERFUL HOUSE. 79 



again the following day, over the same ground, four 

 times, with intervals of rest between, and he improved 

 his pace every time, until the last time he covered the 

 mile in two minutes and fifty seconds ; he was trained, 

 and afterwards trotted a mile in two minutes and forty 

 seconds when he was sold to his present owner, who 

 has regularly ridden him as a hack to and from busi- 

 ness. 



It was about this time that the incident occurred 



which forms the subject of this chapter. Mr. S had 



been beaten with these new-catched trotting horses, and 

 he fondly hoped that, by purchasing the cob, he should 

 turn the laugh against them, therefore he finally bought 

 him for one hundred pounds, and told the coper to bring 

 him to his residence in the afternoon, gave him a crown 

 to fasten the deal, and told him to keep the matter secret. 

 " Tor then I shall be able to take the nonsense out of a 

 few of my friends/' said he. 



The coper, true to his time, appeared with the cob, 

 and received his money. 



"I want no warranty," said Mr. S , "it is only 



bad judges and old women who require warranties with 

 horses. Now what ground do you think this cob can 

 really cover in an hour ?" said he to the coper. 



"Well, sir," replied he, " I really don't know, for we 

 never timed him ; but he can go a burster, sir." 



"How far do you call a ' burster ?' " said Mr. S . 



*' Why, an extraordinary pace," said this wily coper. 



"Do you think he's as fast as ' Sir William :' " 



