and her
nose nearly touching the ground) following me as quietly as a dog, I was
rejoiced by the sight of curling smoke, and, on turning a corner, I
came suddenly upon a little village green, around which some half dozen
cottages were scattered at irregular distances. I directed my steps
towards one of these, before which a ~45~~crazy sign, rendered by age
and exposure to the weather as delightfully vague and unintelligible
as though it had come fresh from the brush of Turner himself, hung
picturesquely from the branch of an old oak.

The sound of horse's feet attracted the attention of an elderly man, who
appeared to combine in his single person the offices of ostler, waiter,
and boots, and who, as soon as he became aware of my necessities,
proceeded to fulfil the duties of these various situations with the
greatest alacrity. First (as of the most importance in his eyes) he
rubbed down Mad Bess, and administered some refreshment to her in the
shape of hay and water; then he brought me a glass of ale, declaring it
would do me good (in which, by the way, he was not far from right). He
then brushed from my coat certain stains which I had contracted in my
fall, and finally told me my way to Helmstone. I now remounted Mad
Bess, who, though much refreshed by the hay and water, still continued
perfectly quiet and tractable; and, setting off at a moderate trot,
reached the town, after riding about eight miles, without any further
adventure, in rather less than an hour.

As I entered the street in which Snaffles' stables were situated I
perceived Coleman and Lawless standing at the entrance of the yard,
evidently awaiting my arrival.

When I got near them Coleman sprang eagerly forward to meet me,
saying:--

"How jolly glad I am to see you safe again, old fellow! I was so
frightened about you. How did you manage to stop her?"

"Why, Fairlegh, I had no idea you were such a rider," exclaimed Lawless;
"I made up my mind you would break your neck, and old Sam be minus a
pupil, when I heard you were gone out on that mare. You have taken the
devil out of her somehow, and no mistake; she's as quiet as a lamb,"
added he, patting her.

"You were very near being right," replied I; "she did her best to break
my neck and her own too, I can assure you"

I then proceeded to relate my adventures, to which both Lawless and
Coleman listened with great attention; the former interrupting me every
now and then with various expressions of