A SELL. 



177 



in the galloping way than Jack approved, for he sent 

 up his heels, put down his head, and over it the boy 

 came. Jack most uncourteously left without taking 

 leave, and came home at a pace that said " S waff ham 

 for ever ! " Some friends dined, with me next day, 

 and our conversation about two horses they had 

 ridden to my house ended in my taking the shine out 

 of them, by saying I had a jackass, that, give him 

 two hundred yards, should beat either of their horses 

 a mile next day. This put them on their mettle, and 

 the bet ran thus — if they beat. Jack was theirs; if 

 Jack beat, they engaged to give a ten pound note for 

 him. Jack was treated next morning to two runs 

 home loose, pursued by a man on horseback smacking 

 a good sounding hunting-whip after him. In the 

 afternoon my friends came, and we went to the place 

 of starting. Jack knew it well. Now my friends 

 expected the boy who rode him up to the start would 

 also ride him home. No such thing : his saddle was 

 taken off: the bridle (made ready) at the word " go " 

 was slipped off, and, as before, away came Jack, 

 giving the immortal twirl of the tail, and an occasional 

 kick up, with an accompaniment not to be mentioned 

 to ears polite. I do not think they gained twenty 

 yards on him. I must allow they both laughed too 

 heartily all the way to do their best ; but if they had, 

 they could not have caught him. I pocketted my 

 note, and they made a note, not too much to under- 

 rate donkey speed in future. 



I hope my reader is interested enough in Jack to 

 wish to know what was his after-fate. I can only 

 give this much of it : my friends gave him to a friend 

 to carry his son ; but I am sorry to say. Jack, like 

 many people, did not know when he was well off; 



VOL. I. N 



