good gathering, and you will probably meet some
nice girls; who will, no doubt, have much greater attractions, for
young fellows like you, than a gallop round the country."

"They have no particular attraction for me, sir," Lisle laughed.
"It will be time enough for that, in another eight or ten years. It
is more in Hallett's line."

"But we shall be chaffed, if we don't ride after the hounds,
Colonel," Hallett said.

"Not at all," the colonel replied, "you have a first-rate excuse.
You are only just recovering from fever. That would get you no end
of commiseration and pity."

"In that case," Lisle said, "I think I should prefer staying at
home. I don't feel that I need the least pity, and don't want to
get it on false pretences."

"It won't be false pretences," the colonel said. "I have taken care
that all the ladies I shall introduce you to should know what you
did for me, and how you did it."

"I am sorry to hear it, Colonel. It is really hateful, being
regarded as a man who has done something, especially at my age.
However, I shall leave Hallett to bear the brunt of it. I know that
he is on the lookout for a wife."

"I don't think you know anything of the sort, Lisle. It will be
time for that when I get my majority."

"Ah! That is all very well, Hallett; I know you took a good
half-hour dressing your hair, previous to that dinner party last
week."

"It has to be brushed. It was nearly all cut off, when we were in
Cape Coast, and one doesn't want to go out looking like a fretful
porcupine."

So, laughing and joking, they started the next morning. There was,
as the colonel had predicted, a large meet. Many ladies came on
horseback, and others in carriages. The two young officers were
soon engaged, chatting and laughing, with the latter.

"Do you mean to say that you are not going to ride, Captain
Bullen?" one of the ladies on horseback said.

"In the first place, Miss Merton, I am an infantry officer and,
except for a few weeks when I was on the staff of Colonel Lockhart,
I have never done any riding. In the second place, I am forbidden
to take horse exercise, at present. Moreover, although no doubt you
will despise me for the confession, I dislike altogether the idea
of a hundred men on horseback, and forty or fifty dogs, all chasing
one unfortunate animal."

"But the unfortunate animal is a poacher of the worst kind."

"Very well, then, I should shoot him, as a poacher. Why should a
hundred hor