ough, that drumming on your
hat was no bad way of learning whether the horse was quiet or not. Well,
did you ever see a more quiet horse, or a better trotter?' 'My cob shall
trot against him,' said a fellow, dressed in velveteen, mounted on a low
powerful-looking animal. 'My cob shall trot against him to the hill and
back again--come on!' We both started; the cob kept up gallantly against
the horse for about half the way to the hill, when he began to lose
ground; at the foot of the hill he was about fifteen yards behind.
Whereupon I turned slowly and waited for him. We then set off towards
the house, but now the cob had no chance, being at least twenty yards
behind when I reached the door. This running of horses, the wild uncouth
forms around me, and the ale and beer which were being guzzled from pots
and flagons, put me wonderfully in mind of the ancient horse-races of the
heathen north. I almost imagined myself Gunnar of Hlitharend at the race
of ---.

'Are you satisfied?' said the landlord. 'Didn't you tell me that he
could leap?' I demanded. 'I am told he can,' said the landlord; 'but I
can't consent that he should be tried in that way, as he might be
damaged.' 'That's right!' said Mr. Petulengro, 'don't trust my pal to
leap that horse, he'll merely fling him down, and break his neck and his
own. There's a better man than he close by; let him get on his back and
leap him.' 'You mean yourself, I suppose,' said the landlord. 'Well, I
call that talking modestly, and nothing becomes a young man more than
modesty.' 'It a'n't I, daddy,' said Mr. Petulengro. 'Here's the man,'
said he, pointing to Tawno. 'Here's the horse-leaper of the world!' 'You
mean the horse-back breaker,' said the landlord. 'That big fellow would
break down my cousin's horse.' 'Why, he weighs only sixteen stone,' said
Mr. Petulengro. 'And his sixteen stone, with his way of handling a
horse, does not press so much as any other one's thirteen. Only let him
get on the horse's back, and you'll see what he can do!' 'No,' said the
landlord, 'it won't do.' Whereupon Mr. Petulengro became very much
excited, and pulling out a handful of money, said: 'I'll tell you what,
I'll forfeit these guineas, if my black pal there does the horse any kind
of damage; duck me in the horse-pond if I don't.' 'Well,' said the
landlord, 'for the sport of the thing I consent, so let your white pal
get down, and your black pal mount as soon as he pleases.'