354 ^'^^^ P^i"/ and the Paddock, 



he says, " You go on, Dick." I looks round, and I 

 see him fall down again ; so I went back, and I says 

 " Sir James, I shan't leave you." He was laid up 

 good six weeks, and he sends for me. " You must 

 ride that horse of mine, Dick : if you kill him I shan't 

 blame you ; but if you stop at anything, you shall 

 ride for me no more. I'll send people to keep their 

 eye on you." "Well,'' says I, "Sir James, if you're 

 not afraid of your horse, I'm not afraid of my neck." 

 We met at the Punchbowl, and I knew there were 

 two or three to look out ; and, blame me, I did ride 

 just ! One field from Dalby, my word ! I did send 

 him with some powder at a bullfinch. I thought the 

 horse was a long time in the air. They measured 

 the jump, nearest foot from taking off to nearest on 

 landing, right through the hedge ; and what d'ye 

 think it was.? — 35 i feet! It's truth, I'll warrant it: 

 there are gentlemen living \s\\o know it. I'm not given 

 to bragging — there's a deal too much of that now-a- 

 days. There were lots of wagers laid about it, and the 

 men who measured it brought the string to Melton : it 

 just went from the Half Moon to the opposite door. 

 They told Sir James about it, and he sent for each of 

 the men and gave them half-a-sovereign. It was 

 on level ground — the very field as comes to the 

 road that leads to Great and Little Dalby. Two 

 farmers saw it : I forget their names : one was a little 

 fattish man. It's the real truth, and nothing but the 

 truth. I've jumped ten yards frequent ; and that 

 pond near Billesdon Coplow would be good eleven. 

 I had another great jump on that identical same 

 horse, near Burrow Hills ; it was down a hill, and 

 he scarcely was on his forelegs for two hundred 

 yards. 



A quick and safe jumper always goes from hind- 

 legs to hind legs. I never rode a steeple-chase yet 

 but I steadied my horse on to his hind legs twenty 

 yards from his fence, and I was always over and away 



