12 RACECOUBSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



*'Now, don't yoii wait, my dear fellow; pray 

 don't," Greenwood said, as I stood by while 

 Mrs. Greenwood's horse was being led up and 

 the gear overhauled. 



Of course I expostulated, and said they 

 wouldn't be a minute, and we had better all go 

 on together ; but a throat-lash wanted loosening 

 and the girths tightening, and they both urged 

 me to be off lest the houods should get away. 



^' Just down the green lane there and through 

 the gate to the right, and you'll see them, I 

 expect. Do get on!" my host said; and at 

 that moment it occurred to me that if I was 

 to be spilt, the affair had better come off when 

 they were not all watching the performance, 

 so, murmuring that if they thought I'd better 

 I would, to the horses I made my way. 



When I came to look at him closely, the 

 nicest little horse in the world really did not 

 look unamiable. I rather liked him, in fact, but 

 was not therefore unduly famihar. 



" Kicks a bit, doesn't he ? " I asked the boy. 



*'No, sir," he replied, as, of course, he was 

 bound to reply ; but I did not propose to give 

 him the opportunity of kicking me. The boy 

 was too small to put me up, and I should not 

 quite have liked to ask him had he been bigger, 

 perhaps ; but I got my foot in the stirrup. 



