130 MY FIRST DAY'S FOX-HUNTING 



" What have you lost ? " said Emily to me, as 

 my eyes wandered up and down the wall. 



" Nothing," I replied ; " I am looking for the 

 gate." 



" Then you are looking for something you won't 

 find this side a mile and a half ; that's the road — 

 over the wall. Come ! give us a lead." 



Here was a pretty state of things ! I, who had 

 never in my life been over anything higher than a 

 mushroom or wider than a gutter, and who had in 

 my charge three ladies, suddenly required to give 

 them a lead over a four-feet wall, in presence of 

 the whole field ! The perspiration stood in great 

 drops on my brow, and I would have given any 

 amount if I could but have sunk into my boots. 

 But I couldn't ; and all eyes being on me (includ- 

 ing hers) I had no time to say my prayers. I had 

 to choose at once between disgrace and the chance of 

 being " sent to my account with all my imperfections 

 on my head." One glance at Miss Trafford decided 

 me ; and I put my horse's head towards the wall 

 and then my spurs into his sides. When I was 

 within three feet my courage failed me, and I 

 pulled up ; but it was too late. Iron Duke had 

 already risen; and in doing so had nearly rolled 

 me off, first over the cantle and then the pommel. 

 Ten thousand years rolled over my devoted head in 



