SPORTLN'G TOUR. 267 



anything but the easy confidence that Mr. Pacey exhibited. Putting 

 his whip under his arm, Pacey just walked up to the horse, and, pla- 

 cing the point of his foot in the stirrup, hoisted himself on by the 

 mane, without deigning to take hold of the reins. Having soused 

 himself into the saddle he then began feeling the stirrups. 



" Hdw are they for length, sir ?" asked Leather, with a hitch of 

 his hand to his forehead. 



" They'll do," replied Pacey, in a tone of indifference, gathering 

 up the reins, and applying his left heel to the horse's side, while he 

 gave him a touch of the whip on the other. The horse have a wince, 

 and a hitch up behind ; as much as to say, " If you do that again I'll 

 kick in right earnest," and then walked quietly out of the yard. 



" I took the fiery edge off him yesterday, I think," observed Jack, 

 as he watched the horse's leisurely movements. 



" Not so sure of that," replied Sponge ; adding, as he left the pas- 

 sage window, " he'll be trying him in the park ; let's go and see him 

 from my window." 



Accordingly, our friends placed themselves at Sponge's bed-room 

 window, and presently the clash of a gate announced that Sponge was 

 right in his speculation. In another second the horse and rider ap- 

 peared in sight, — the horse going much at his ease, but Mr. Pacey 

 preparing himself for action. He began working the bridle and 

 kicking his sides, to get him into a canter ; an exertion that produced 

 quite a contrary effect, for the animal slackened his pace as Pacey's 

 efforts increased. When, however, he took his whip from under his 

 arm, the horse darted right up into the air, and plunging down again, 

 with one convulsive effort shot Mr. Pacey several yards over his head, 

 knocking his head clean through his hat. The brute then began to 

 graze, as if nothing particular had happened. This easy indifference, 

 however, did not extend to the neighbourhood ; for no sooner was Mr. 

 Pacey floored than there was such a rush of grooms, and helpers, and 

 footmen, and gardeners, — to say nothing of women, — from all parts of 

 the grounds, as must have made it very agreeable to him to know how 

 he had been watched. One picked him up, — another his hat-crown, — a 

 third his whip, — a fourth his gloves, — while Margaret, the housemaid, 

 rushed to the rescue with her private bottle of sal volatile, — and John, 

 the^under-butler, began to extricate him from the new-fashioned neck- 

 cloth he had made of his hat. 



Though our friend was a good deal shaken by the fall, the injury 

 to his body was trifling compared to that done to his mind. Being 

 kicked off a horse was an indignity he had never calculated upon. 

 Moreover, it was done in such a masterly manner as clearly showed 

 it could be repeated at pleasure. In addition to which, everybody 

 laughs at a man that is kicked off. All these considerations rushed 

 to his mind, asd made him determine not to brook the mirth of the 

 guests as well as the servants. 



