306 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



him ? Right, my boy." Then he leans forward and 

 whispers, " Don't you think your curb-chain is rather 

 tight?" And then aloud, "What 's the name of your 

 colt ? " 



" Devil-to-Pay Second," comes the quick reply. 

 The Master turns away laughing. " Smart lad, that," 

 he thinks. " He has the making of a sportsman." And 

 the boy, on his part, has received a valuable lesson in horse- 

 manship. Delivered in a tactful and sportsmanlike manner, 

 it sinks deep into his mind. 



Up comes Miss Frances in a two-wheeled pony-trap, a 

 sweet girl of sixteen from Rochester. " Oh, Miss Fran- 

 ces ! Delighted ! How smart you look in that new 

 hunting-frock ! Dear me, you will be breaking the hearts 

 of all my young men. How can they chase foxes when 

 you are in sight ? " 



"Oh, but you 're a taffy-giver!" laughs Miss Frances. 

 "That hard-riding boy Arthur, they tell me," con- 

 tinues the Master, imperturbably, " has already cut the other 

 fellows out." 



"Now don't you make any mistake, Mr. Master" 

 with a great show of indignation. " He is too shy a rider 



to catch anything 1 mean- 



" What, ho, there! " laughs the Master. " Has his fox 

 slipped covert or have you come to a check ? My word 

 for it, Arthur is a fine chap. Give the boy a chance to 

 view you away. The trouble is, the other fellows have 

 foiled your line." 



" I should like to beat you ! " cries Miss Frances, red- 

 dening and shaking her pretty fist with a great exhibition 



