166 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



you pottering at that colt about, Tom? He's not hurt a 

 pin's value, on the contrary — " 



"Better for 't, I suppose, you'll be a tellin' me torights; 

 better for that all-fired etarnal tumble, aint he?" respond- 

 ed the fat chap, \Yitli a lamentable attempt at on ironical 

 smile, put on to hide his real chagrin. 



"In course he is," replied Frank, who had recovered his 

 wonted equanimity, and who, having been most unmerci- 

 fully rallied by the whole party for leaving his bullets at 

 home, was glad of an opportunity to carry the war into 

 the emeny's country, "in course he is a great deal better 

 — if a thing can be said to be better which, under all 

 circumstances, is so infernally had, as that brute. I 

 should think he was better for it. Why, by the time he's 

 had half a dozen more such purls, he'll leap a six foot 

 fence without shaking a loose rail. In fact, I'll bet a 

 dollar I carry him back over that same wall without 

 touching a stone." And, as he spoke, he set his foot into 

 the stirrup, as if he were about to put his threat into 

 immediate execution. 



"Quit, Forester — quit, I say — quit, now — consarn the 

 hide on you" — shouted the fat man, now in great tribu- 

 lation, and apprehending a second edition of the tumble — 

 "quit foolin,' or by h — 1 I'll put a grist of shot, or one of 

 they green cartridges into you stret away — I will, by the 

 Etarnal!" and as he spoke he dropped the muzzle of his 

 gun, and put his thumb upon the cock. 



"/ say quit foolin', too," cried Harry, "both of you quit 

 it; you old fool, Tom, do you really suppose he is mad 

 enough to ride that brute of yours again at the wall?" 



"Mad enough! — yes, I swon he be," responded Tom; 

 "both of you be as mad as the hull Asylum down to York. 

 If Frank arn't mad, then there aint such a word as mad !" 

 But as he spoke he replaced his gun under his arm, and 

 walked off to his horse, which he mounted, without farther 

 words, his example being followed by the whole party, 

 who set off on the spur, and reached the village in less 

 than half an hour. 



Breakfast was on the table when they got there — black 

 tea, produced from Harry's magazine of stores, rich cream, 

 hot bread, and Goshen butter — eggs in abundance, boiled, 

 roasted, fried with ham — an omelet an fines herhes, no 



