MY FIRST DAY'S FOX-HUNTING 123 



ject coincided with his exactly, and he at once 

 called to a stable-boy to bring out Iron Duke. 



" There," said Philley, as the horse was trotted 

 into the yard, " you might go a day's inarch and 

 not come across such a hunter as that — ex- 

 traordinary animal, I assure you, sir." Not 

 understanding the points of a horse, I deemed 

 it prudent to indorse all that Iron Duke's owner 

 chose to say in his praise ; and I was thus com- 

 pelled to acknowledge that his superior height 

 (over sixteen hands), long legs, and slender build, 

 gave him an advantage over every other horse 

 I had seen in my life, as regards carrying a light- 

 weight over a high-stone-wall country. 



As we stood discussing the merits of the horse I 

 happened to turn round, and there I saw the stable- 

 boy grinning and " tipping the wink " to a com- 

 panion. This aroused my suspicions that all 

 mightn't be right ; so instead of at once buying 

 and paying for the horse, I mustered up courage 

 to say, " Well, Mr Philley, I like the horse's 

 appearance, but are his paces as good as his 

 looks ? Will you let me try him with the Cover- 

 bury pack to-morrow ? " Mr Philley paused, 

 thought a few moments, and then observed some- 

 what solemnly, " Iron Duke, you see, sir, is a very 

 valuable horse, dirt cheap at fifty pounds ; in fact, 



