A SPORTING TRIP TO FRANCE. 155 



age to make it pay ; in fact, he was continually 

 buying something or other, and was nearly al- 

 ways on the "right side of the hedge," a regular 

 country gentleman, and ever doing. The arrival 

 of the cab put an end to my reflections, and 

 jumping in, I was bowled down to King's Cross 

 Station. The looked-for train soon made its 

 appearance, and with it my friend. 



" Hallo, old fellow," he exclaimed, as he shook 

 hands with me, "hang me if you've not been 

 growing a beard ; too lazy to shave, eh ? Well, 

 it ain't a bad one, rather gingery in appearance, 

 but just the thing for France. Hold hard a 

 minute, I must see Toprail out of his box. Got 

 a spare stall in your stable ? if not, I'll send 

 him to Mason's." Having assured my friend 

 that not only a stall was at his disposal, but 

 everything necessary for the comfort and well- 

 doing of Toprail, he gave his man directions 

 where to take the horse, put his traps into the 

 cab, and started for my diggings. 



It is unnecessary to state wiiat we did the 

 next two days. Suffice it, that on the morning 

 of the third we found ourselves in "La belle 

 France," at Havre, in Normandy. Our route 



