A DAY WITH TOM CANNON. 267 



brow of the hill, and some cloth and leather 

 boots have been brought up for the horses that 

 are to jump. These are new ones, and with the 

 knowledge of a master saddler the trainer 

 examines them. Nothing, it will be seen, is 

 chanced at Houghton ; but, on the contrary, 

 each detail, however comparatively minute, is 

 carefully regarded. Then the word is given. 



'' Take off the clothes of Antient Pistol and 

 the other three jumpers, and let them go round 

 over the four hurdles twice. Start over there 

 by the trees, come on at a good canter — not too 

 fast, but keep them well up into their bridles — 

 pull up at the top of the hill, trot down, and 

 start again in the same place as before." 



The clothes are removed, the boots carefully 

 fitted on, lest a cut or overreach should do 

 temporary mischief, and the quartette trot off 

 into the haze ; while we turn our horses' heads 

 and take up our station by the third hurdle, at 

 the foot of the gentle ascent. 



*' Where are they ? I can't see them. Oh, 

 yes ; there they come, just by the first hurdle. 

 The bay mare pitches a bit as she lands," I 

 observe, as they cross the second flight. 



" Yes, she has rather loaded shoulders, you 

 see. It's a pity. But look how splendidly the 

 black jumps ! If he could gallop as well, he'd 



