72 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



" Perhaps if you saw something to suit, you might buy," 

 says the dealer. 



" Oh, no ! More horses than I know what to do with. 

 Horses to sell ! " (Deception number three : they came on 

 purpose to buy.) 



It is amusing to see how many men go about buying a 

 horse in this deceptive way, imagining themselves very 

 bright and clever. They seem to think they have hit 

 upon a new idea of getting the best of the dealer and 

 taking him off his guard. They will buy a horse 

 for two hundred and fifty dollars which, if the dealer 

 knew they wanted it, would cost three hundred dollars or 

 more. 



Is the dealer sharp ? It is the foolish buyers who make 

 him so. By the time the would-be customer has looked 

 over two or three horses the mask drops and the dealer 

 can read him like a primer. 



" What 's the price of this one ? " the gentleman asks, 

 with what is intended to be great unconcern. No answer ; 

 the dealer wants to confirm himself in his belief that his 

 visitor really intends to buy. The customer repeats the 

 question. The dealer pays no heed, but says : " Come on, 

 gentlemen ; I have a promising youngster in this box." 

 The horse the customer has been inquiring the price of is 

 the horse he came to buy ; the dealer sees that he has no 

 interest whatever in looking at the promising youngster. 

 He calls attention to still another horse, his own hunter, 

 for instance, one he would not sell. " There, gentlemen, 

 is one of the best horses I own, but I would not recom- 

 mend any one to buy him.'* 



