HUNTINGCROP HALL. 189 



a horse rush his fences rather, perhaps ; but you young 

 fellows like that, I know." 



" His — eye appears slightly bloodshot, doesn't it ? " 

 I hazarded ; for he was exhibiting a large amount of 

 what I imagine should have been white, in an unsuc- 

 cessful attempt to look at his tail without turning his 

 head round. " Is he quiet with hounds ? " 



"Playful — a little playful," was his unassuring reply. 

 " But we must be off, gentlemen. It's three miles to 

 Blackbrook, and it won't do to be late ! " And he led 

 the w^iy to the Hall, where I selected my virgin whip 

 from the rack, and swallowing a nip of orange-brandy, 

 which a servant providentially handed to me at that 

 moment, went forth to meet my fate. 



Laura, declining offers of assistance from the crowd of 

 pink-coated young gentlemen who were sucking cigars 

 in the porch, was put into the saddle by her own groom. 

 I think she looked to me for aid, but I was constrained 

 to stare studiously in the opposite direction, having a 

 very vague idea of the method by which young ladies are 

 placed in their saddles. Then I commenced, and ulti- 

 mately effected, the ascent of The Sultan ; a process 

 which appeared to me precisely identical with climbing 

 to the deck of a man-of-war. 



" Stirrups all right, sir ? " asked the groom. 



"This one's rather too long. No, it's the other one, 

 I think." One of them didn't seem right, but it was 

 impossible to say which in the agony of the moment. 



He surveyed me critically from the front, and then 



