MELTON AT HOME AND ON VISIT 443 



(i) Hounds had just killed a fox, happily in near 

 neighbourhood of a hospitable house and stable. Visitor 

 had wetted one eye ; and with this he proceeded to 

 claim his horse from the steaming stable. A steed was 

 kicking and plunging, half wedged in the attempt to turn 

 in a narrow stall. " My young horse ! He knows me. 



* 





'• Two to one he doesn't get up atjain" 



Let me come ! " Whereupon the young horse kicked 

 him fiercely upon the thigh. Nothing discouraged, the 

 would-be owner brought him out, mounted at the block, 

 and discovered that the stirrup-leathers were half his 

 proper length. " What's this ? Take him back again ! " 

 And to clear his vision the horse-owner, a sedate and 

 eminently sober member of our community, very pro- 



