AN AFTER-DINNER SPORTSMAN. 107 



necessity for anything in the shape of a jump ; but 

 concerning" this I held my peace. 



" They're running, aren't they ? " Scatterly suddenly 

 asks, looking straight away over a sot of posts and 

 rails immediately in front of us. " Yes. Hold up ! " he 

 cries to his horse, as the animal stops and "slithers" 

 down to the rails with no attempt at jumping. AVheel- 

 ing round, he canters up to them again, but they are 

 a good deal stiffer than the horse cares about, though 

 the rider is willing enough, and another refusal is the 

 consequence. 



" Give me a lead, somebody ! Wynnerly, your horse 

 is sure to go," the disconcerted one exclaims. But 

 Wynnerly winks slightly at me, and says, — 



" I'm not so sure, he's rather a brute. Ah ! Fluffyer 

 will show us the way. Will you go r" 



Fluffyer is not at all eager to do anything of the 

 sort ; but if he is not ready to jump rails he is quite 

 ready to explain the reason of his forbearance. 



" My dear felloAV," he says, " if I were on any 

 other horse in my stable there's nothing I should like 

 better, but this mare won't rise an inch at timber. 

 It's her only fault. At water she's the best I ever 

 rode." 



Wynnerly smiles, not altogether without derision ; 

 but Fluffyer does not see it, being occupied with the 

 recalcitrant mare. 



"I suppose I must try, then," Wynnerly says, and 

 slips over with consummate ease ; while Scatterly's 



