A HUNTING STABLE. 57 



" He was, indeed. I hope your report of tlm Is a 

 good one, duke ?" 



"None ever better. I don't know a horse any 

 where, much better, and I have seen him go in the 

 first flight all day long through the vale of Blackmoor, 

 which as a country is only one step behind, if it is be- 

 hind, the vale of Belvoir. So you may set yourself at 

 ease as to his being well up to the mark." 



"And now," said Cheshire, " if I may make amove 

 it would be to go and look at these fast trotters, for 

 they're a style of cattle I have heard a good deal said 

 about, without ever having seen many. Aint they a 

 deuced bore to drive, lug your shoulders out of the 

 sockets, or something of that sort, hey ? I think I've 

 heard Wortley, or some of them say so, hey ?" 



" They have a trick of taking a dead pull, boring I 

 think you'd call it here, when they first come out of 

 the trainer's hands especially, and of expecting to be 

 hallooed at in a most hideous style, but there is not 

 the least utility or object in continuing to drive them 

 so. In fact, as soon as they fall into gentlemen's 

 hands they get broke almost instantly of these habits. 

 I have seen several teams in New York, one of four 



blacks, owned some years since by H n AV 's, 



and another of four bays by De B s H r, 



which could do their three and a half together witli- 

 out breaking their trot, under as light and quick a fin- 

 ger as should needs be. I hate a hard, dead puller 

 myself, and though, driving as we do trotters entirely 

 on snaffle bits, it is necessary to hold them well to- 

 gether and feel their mouths steadily all the time, 

 there is no more reason why they should be hard- 

 headed or stiff-necked brutes than your hunters. I 

 flatter myself mine are neither. But, as you say, 

 we'll go and look at them — where are your trotters, Ja- 

 cobs — and by the bye, there's plenty of time before 

 dinner, why should not we put them to the wagon, 



