A FIRST day's exercise. 241 



replied Jem ; " and as for Fencer, I han't had 

 him in hand at all, and he's about the wickedest 

 of the party." 



" Well, never mind Fencer ; and now I suppose 

 they have had exercise enough for the first day, 

 and we shall have a quiet night after so much 

 racket." 



"Don't you be a dehiding yerself, sir, with 

 that idea," said Jem ; " they wants twenty miles 

 more to bring 'em into anything like sleeping 

 order ; and to my mind we'd better trot 'em over 

 the downs to Charbury." 



This being about ten miles further as the crow 

 flies, the old Squire (Avho felt a little wheezy after 

 his quick jolting along the road) began to demur, 

 when Jem gained his point by adding — "Just 

 as you pleases, sir ; only biding awake two nights 

 aren't very pleasant." 



This settled the business forthwith, without 

 further controversy ; and Jem was directed to take 

 the lead, in the hope of preventing more outbreaks. 

 The party proceeded in very orderly array, with 

 the exception of Fencer and Jumper, who tried to 

 break away after a rook skimming over the open, 

 from which they were stopped by Jem knocking 

 over Fencer, whose attention was at that moment 

 diverted another way. With this solitary attempt 



R 



