"
"Let's down," says I; but he was all the time employed in disengaging
Trumpeter, whom he got out of the ditch, trembling and as quiet as
possible. "Let's down," says I. "Presently," says he; and taking off
his coat, he begins whistling and swishing down Trumpeter's sides and
saddle; and when he had finished, what do you think the rascal did?--he
just quietly mounted on Trumpeter's back, and shouts out, "Git down
yourself, old Bearsgrease; you've only to drop! I'LL give your 'oss a
hairing arter them 'ounds; and you--vy, you may ride back my pony
to Tuggeridgeweal!" And with this, I'm blest if he didn't ride away,
leaving me holding, as for the dear life, and expecting every minute the
branch would break.
It DID break too, and down I came into the slush; and when I got out of
it, I can tell you I didn't look much like the Venuses or the Apollor
Belvidearis what I used to dress and titivate up for my shop window
when I was in the hairdressing line, or smell quite so elegant as our
rose-oil. Faugh! what a figure I was!
I had nothing for it but to mount the dustman's donkey (which was very
quietly cropping grass in the hedge), and to make my way home; and after
a weary, weary journey, I arrived at my own gate.
A whole party was assembled there. Tagrag, who had come back; their
Excellencies Mace and Punter, who were on a visit; and a number of
horses walking up and down before the whole of the gentlemen of the
hunt, who had come in after losing their fox! "Here's Squire Coxe!"
shouted the grooms.
Pages:
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594