124 MY FIRST DAYS FOX-HUNTING 



it's giving him away, it is really, and I shouldn't 

 like anything to happen to a horse like that whilst 

 he's mine. We don't generally let him out for 

 hunting ; he's too good for most of our customers. 

 But I'll tell yer what we'll do ; we'll let you have 

 him to-morrow for two guineas, and then (if you 

 have no accident with him, as of course a gentle- 

 man like you won't) you can please yourself 

 whether you have him or not. But if you should 

 have an accident — of course accidents will happen 

 sometimes — why, then the horse will be yours and 

 the fifty pounds mine." These terms seemed fair, 

 and I accepted them, though not before they had 

 banished my suspicions, and almost induced me to 

 buy and pay for the horse there and then. 



In the morning I called at Philley's for my 

 hunter, and the boy brought him out bridled and 

 saddled. As he stood straight in front of me his 

 tall slim-built figure looked as sharp as a knife. I 

 ventured to express this idea, but being doubtful as 

 to whether sharpness was a good point or a bad one, 

 I did so in a manner which might be taken as in 

 earnest or in jest. The dealer chose to take it in 

 the latter sense, and after laughing heartily at my 

 " good joke," assured me that I should find my 

 horse " as clever as a cat." I then attempted to 

 mount, and after some time (during which the 



