THE SPOTTED HOESE'S STOEY. 187 



I faintly murmured something about the 

 danger of having firearms in a stable, and then 

 followed an elaborate disquisition on a variety of 

 subjects about which I was in a state of Egyptian 

 darkness. "Frogs" and "thrushes" appeared 

 to play an important part in the conversation, 

 though I could no more understand their bearing 

 on the matter than I could the aggressive 

 behaviour of the "bullfinch," whose strange 

 proceedings Dacre had narrated. I only gathered 

 that the catastrophe was not unexampled, but 

 quite failed to see how " coffin-bones " (whatever 

 idea the latter extremely unpleasant title might 

 convey to the stable mind) bore upon the matter. 

 However, I was apparently expected to dismount ; 

 and though the news seemed too good to be true 

 — the danger to have passed away too wonderfully 

 — I got off with quite as much alacrity as was 

 compatible with the dignity of a disappointed 

 gentleman-rider ; and so amongst the pitying 

 comments of the crowd, and with as profound an 

 expression of regret as I could conjure up on the 

 spur of the moment, I followed my late terror's 

 limping footsteps to the paddock. 



I had never before so fully realized the 

 pleasant sensation of being in my own clothes, 

 as when, after discarding my unwonted habili- 

 ments, I made my way to the stand, aud 



