But he was not so dull but
that he knew how to make use of his accomplishment, so as always to
be able to get a mount on a friend's horses. If a man wanted to
make a horse, or to try a horse, or to sell a horse, or to buy a
horse, he delighted to put Major Caneback up. The Major was
sympathetic and made his friend's horses, and tried them, and sold
them. Then he would take his two bottles of wine,--of course from
his friend's cellar,--and when asked about the day's sport would be
oracular in two words, "Rather slow," "Quick spurt," "Goodish
thing," "Regularly mulled," and such like. Nevertheless it was a
great thing to have Major Caneback with you. To the list of those
who rode well and quietly must in justice be added our friend Larry
Twentyman, who was in truth a good horseman. And he had three
things to do which it was difficult enough to combine. He had a
young horse which he would have liked to sell; he had to coach Kate
Masters on his pony; and he desired to ride like Major Caneback.
From Impington Park they went in a straight line to Littleton Gorse
skirting certain small woods which the fox disdained to enter. Here
the pace was very good, and the country was all grass. It was the
very cream of the U.R.U; and could the Senator have read the
feelings of the dozen leading men in the run, he would have owned
that they were for the time satisfied with their amusement.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115