40 



Mr. Leather, as we said before, was in the laudatory strain, but, 

 like many indiscreet people, he overdid it. Not content with rnag- 



way, 



grooms so much as this sort of threat, and few things travel quicker 

 than these sort of vapourings to their masters' ears. Indeed, we can 

 only excuse the lengths to which Leather went, on the ground of 

 his previous coaching career not having afforded him a due insight 

 into the delicacies of the hunting stable ; it being remembered that 

 he was only now acting as stud groom for the first time. However, 

 be that as it may, he brewed up a pretty storm, and the longer it 

 raged the stronger it became. 



" Ord dash it ! " exclaimed young Spareneck, the steeple-chase 

 rider, bursting into Scorer's billiard-room in the midst of a full gath- 

 ering, who were looking on at a grand game of poule, " Ord dash it ! 

 there's a fellow coining who swears by Jove that he'll take the shine 

 out of us all, ' cut us all down ! ' " 



" I'll play him for what he likes !*' exclaimed the cool, coatless 

 Captain Macer, striking his ball away for a cannon. 



"Hang your play ! " replied Spareneck; " you are always think- 

 ing of play — it's hunting I am talking of," bringing his heavy, silver- 

 mounted jockey-whip a crack down his leg. 



" You don't say so!" exclaimed Sam Shortcut, who had been 

 flattered into riding rather harder than he liked, and feared his pluck 

 might be put to the test. 



" What a ruffian ! " — (puff) — observed Mr. Waffles, taking his cigar 

 from his mouth as he sat on the bench, dressed as a racket-player, 

 looking on at the game, " he shalln't ride roughshod over us." 



" That he shallnH ! " exclaimed Caingey Thornton, Mr. Waflles' 

 premier toady, and constant trencher-man. 



" ril ride him ! " rejoined Mr. Spareneck, jockeying his arms, and 

 flourishing his whip as if he was at work, adding : " his old brandy- 

 nosed, frosty-whiskered trumpeter of a groom says he's coming down 

 by the five o'clock train. I vote we go and meet him — invite him to 

 a steeple-chase by moonlight." 



" I vote we go and see him, at all events," observed Frank Hop- 

 pey, laying down his cue and putting on his coat, adding, " I should 

 like to see a man bold enough to beard a whole hunt — especially such 

 a hunt as ours." 



" Finish the game first," observed Captain Macer, who had rather 

 tho best of it. 



" No, leave the balls as they are till we come back," rejoined 

 Ned Stringer; " we shall be late. See, it's only ten to, now," con- 

 tinued he, pointing to the timepiece above the fire ; whereupon there 



