AN M.F.H. — ANOTHER VARIETY. 87 



over their own boots. I don't suppose that will matter, 

 and I know they looked uncommonly well in the opera. 

 Write and say how they do. Yours always, Frank 

 Borders." 



No. The boots were not " boots precisely," neither 

 w^ere the coats coats, nor the breeches breeches. These 

 latter were apparently of stout canvas, while the coats 

 were a thin species of serge or flannel, and the sort of 

 leggings were by no means adapted for rough work in 

 the open air, " uncommonly well " as they may have 

 looked on the stage. In fact, the whole bundle was 

 worth considerably less than the money to which it had 

 been run up by those who had no doubt observed that 

 an earnest outsider was bidding. 



Scruton sorrowfully stowed away the obnoxious 

 parcel in a top room, and it w^as not till some time 

 afterwards that we heard particulars of his singular 

 purchase. There was nothing for it but to drive into 

 Meadton and perform the disagreeable operation of 

 throwing good money after bad by ordering suits in the 

 regular way. 



Scruton then set seriously to work to economise in 

 horse-flesh, and by extra cunning reimburse himself for 

 the wasted fifteen pounds. 



He possessed a fair knowledge of horses, and had he 

 gone to Tattersall's, prepared to give a moderate price, 

 would in all likelihood have picked up some beasts 

 worth their corn. But Scruton knew a dealer who 

 generally had something cheap in his stables ; and 



