350 The Post and the Paddock. 



grand fun for them. Lord Molyneux once gave me a 

 rare tying up : it was a capital lark, that was. They 

 started me below Corby, and up to the Bull at 

 Witham Common ; he was only twenty yards off me, 

 was his lordship, when I got to the Bull. " I'd like 

 to have had you, Dick," he says. They gave me 

 some brandy and water, and a bit of bread and butter, 

 and set me off for another lark to Melton, but they 

 see me no more till next day ; I regularly did them 

 that time. 



I once had a grand go at Lord Cardigan — he'd be 

 Lord Brudenell then — on Dandy, with Lord Lons- 

 dale's hounds : they had come right up from Oakham 

 Pastures, and I was on a grey roan-muzzled one, of 

 Sir James Musgrave's — Perfection they called him. 

 One of the gentlemen he says to me, " PU give you 

 five pounds, Dick, if you'll go and hck Lord Brudenell 

 up to Overton Park ; he's licked every one of us." 

 My horse was very fresh, and I thought Pd match 

 him. " We'll give you anything if you'll have a go at 

 him," two or three more of them says ; so I over some 

 high post-and-rails. "That's capital," they shouts, 

 and at him I goes ; and I caught him just at the last 

 fence before the wood where they killed. 



I never had a row with any gentleman but once. 

 He gives me one of the savagest brutes to ride that 

 ever came to Melton ; they had to go to the other 

 side of the stall to feed him, and they couldn't get him 

 out of the stable-yard till I came ; so I spoke to him, 

 and coaxed him, and he went as quiet as a dog. 



Away I rides to Melton Spinney, and Mr. says 



to me, " Stand you, Dick, at the gate ; the fox is 

 certain to come through that way, and let no one 

 come." Well, I sent a good many back ; they know'd 

 my horse, and I told them he'd worry them to death, 

 so back they went. Then three scarlets comes up, 

 and go through they would, wildy-nildy. The fox 

 did come that way, and sure enough they did head 



