45 



CHAPTER III. 



A BLACK DIAMOND. 



" Happy the man who, with unrivall'd speed, can pass his 

 fellows, and with pleasure view the struggling pack." 



— SOMERVILLE. 



As I believe I before stated, before the old 

 pony was put out of tlie way, I had been 

 promoted to another steed. This was one 

 altogether of a different stamp : he was a very 

 well-bred and good-looking black hack that my 

 father had seen going by one day, found out 

 where he was being taken to, and went over 

 and bought him. He was about fourteen 

 hands high, with a small thorough-bred-looking 

 head, light neck, and most perfect shoulders ; 

 but behind the saddle he was plain, for he had 

 wide ragged hips and a very ugly tail, which 

 was about as long and as stubby as a worn- 

 out besom. He was deep in the girth, had 



