84 A COVERT SIDE. 



good deal to tlic wonderment of the Meltonians, he 

 had no inconsiderable penchant. 



Meanwhile their cigars were lighted, their heavers 

 donned and secured by a black ribbon to the collars 

 of their pinks, their buckskin gloves had been assumed, 

 and the hunting-whips, or, to speak more correctly, the 

 stocks of the hunting-whips, minus the thongs, thrust 

 under the left arm as they mounted ; and just as a clat- 

 tering cavalcade, all in scarlet jackets, with cloth spat- 

 terdashes over their bo:>ts and white leathers, came 

 tearing down the street at a hard gallop, smoking like 

 as many animated steam-engines, they, too, wheeled 

 from their door to the left, and then to the right, and 

 greeted by a merry shout of gratulation, rode onward 

 merrily, surrounded by that gay and goodly companye, 

 on the high road toward Lincoln. 



After they had ridden perhaps a couple of miles, 

 the party, consisting of Aleck and Jem McDonald, 

 than whom two better fellows never rode, Tom and 

 Dick Gascoigne, Horace Pitt and Harry Peyton, be- 

 sides our friends, the Virginian and the hunting diplo- 

 matist, just as they were slackening their pace a little, 

 seeing that there was a toll-gate just ahead, which, 

 with the hounds not running, it behooves every man 

 to pay, there came a harsh cheer from behind, and as 

 two or three of the company turned in their saddles to 

 see who or what was come, the short and slender form 

 of Jardinier was seen bending over the withers of a 

 neat black filly, which he was spurring furiously along 

 in mad emulation, seeking, although there was not the 

 slightest hurry, to overtake those ahead of him, till 

 she was covered from counter to tail with white lather. 



"Just like Jardinier," said Cecil Forrester, " cursing 

 her with all his breath at every dig of his spurs, I'd 

 almost take my oath. What a d — d shame!" 



"I almost wish she'd break his neck," said another. 

 "I'm sure he richly deserves it." 



