Major Whyte Melville 



* put him at anything you like. If you can get him into 

 one of these fences, I '11 give him to you ! ' 



So Mr. Sawyer sat down to jump a low hedge and ditch, 

 then stood up, and caught hold of the roan's head, and 

 sent him a cracker through the adjoining plough, and across 

 a larger fence into a pasture, and back again over a fair 

 flight of rails, and lost his flat shooting-hat, and rucked his 

 plaid trousers up to his knees ; and Sloper marked his 

 kindling eye and glowing cheek, and knew that he had 

 landed him. 



' Walk him about for ten minutes before you do him 

 over,' said that worthy to Barney, as Mr. Sawyer dis- 

 mounted and the latter brought him his hat. ' And now, 

 sir,' added the hospitable dealer, * you can't go away with- 

 out tasting my cheese — the same you liked last time, you 

 know. Walk in, sir ; this way, and mind the step, if you 

 please.' So speaking, Mr. Sloper ushered his guest into 

 a neat little parlour with a strong odour of preserved tobacco- 

 smoke, where a clean cloth set off a nice luncheon of bread 

 and cheese, flanked by a foaming jug of strong ale and a 

 decanter of oily-brown sherry. 



And herein the dealer showed his knowledge of human 

 nature, and his discrimination in the difl^erent character- 

 istics of the species. Had his guest been some generous 

 scion of the aristocracy, with more money than nerves, he 

 would have primed him first, and put him up to ride after- 

 wards. But he knew his man. He was well aware that 

 Mr. Sawyer required no stimulant to make him jump, but 



75 



