Dick Christian again, 7 



talk ; and gave us both new green suits, with black 

 buttons, to hunt in. Nice httle lad ! he was quite 

 broke down with consumption early, and he only came 

 for a very little bit the next season. A frost come, 

 and I went with him as far as Northampton ; he went 

 on horseback ; he said he'd never see me no more. I 

 was grieved, just. His father lived where Quarter- 

 maine does now. At those very owdacious places, 

 poor little fellow, he used to holler out, " Where are 

 you V He couldn't spy me, for them bulfinches ; he 

 didn't know if I wur up or down. We never turned 

 the horses' heads, but went bang at them. Lucky if 

 we only got three falls a day. He was so light, he 

 used to bound up again like a ball. Captain White 

 and Mr. Maxse, they did so enjoy seeing us at it. 

 When they got to one of them reg'lar stitchers, they 

 used to say, ''Heres Dick and Matty comiiig ; they II 

 have it!' They'd served us that way so often, we 

 know'd what they meant. I was not so forward in 

 those days, with the lad to mind. When I see them, I 

 says, " Matty, here's a rimi un on afore us ; take fast 

 hold of his head, and don't fear nothing!' I always 

 put him on those I knew to be perfect. Sir James 

 Musgrave used to back us against the fences. Once I 

 sees them coming on the road to meet us, I thought 

 there was something up, and there it was, a great big 

 stile and steps, and a deep ditch. I hears Sir James 

 say to Mr. Maxse, " /'// bet you twenty guineas he 

 conies over it ;" and my word we won it for him. 

 We've got pretty well out of this rough ^ ,, ^^ ., 



... ^ ^ ^. , , o On the Turnpike. 



travelnng now. 1 here s a place we must 

 have a touch at. Wright's Lodge, it's called. He 

 was a great man with Sir Harry, bred lots of cocks, 

 always a good sporting chap, but he never kep a 

 hunter. Now, we're on the Nottingham road , we'll 

 go spanging along. There's Scalford Gorse, that was, 

 just behind Old Hills. Them's the Duke's, mind you, 

 both of 'em. It's a beautiful country, but not like 



