A WRANGLER. 99 



doing business, and he found it answer; so Tom called 

 for the letter, and it was arranged that he should go 

 over the first day he could manage it, which would 

 probably be on the following Monday. 



On the Saturday we were out again, and Tom, who 

 had abandoned the dingy bay, was on a chestnut mare, 

 another of Scruton's bargains apparently, for though 

 a very decent-looking beast, she refused persistently, 

 wheeling round and kicking at her fences. 



" There's another of them ! " Crookton said, contemp- 

 tuously, as he watched the performance. " It's simply 

 disgraceful to send a servant out to do his work on such 

 a beast." 



" Not a bad-looking sort," Wynnerly remarks, as we 

 stand in a group, watching Tom's efforts to get the 

 mare over the fence out of a covert which had been 

 drawn blank. 



"I can't say I agree with you," the Captain answers ; 

 " she's one of those light, flashy beasts that never last 

 after Christmas, and are not fit to go half the days before. 

 Go to a decent man, pay a decent price, and you'll get 

 a decent horse — as you'll see on Tuesday, I hope. 

 Another awkward brute you've got there, Tom. Where 

 did she come from r " Crookton asks, as at length, with 

 a snort, the mare bounds over the fence. 



" This is your new one, sir. I got over to fetch her 

 yesterday," Tom answers, touching his h^it. "Hadn't 

 time to bring her round to let you see her, sir, and 

 know'd you would be out to-day." 



n 2 



