off at full
speed, to the great dismay of Dashall and the Squire, who putting their
horses to the pith of their mettle, hurried after their friend with the
utmost solicitude. Luckily, however, the career of the spirited animal
was impeded, and finally stopped, by the frequent interposition of the
passengers on the road, and the Baronet was safely set down, ready to
exclaim with Hawser Trunnion, "If ever I get astride the back of
such another harum scarum son of a bitch again, my name is not Felix
O'Grady."

[Illustration: page196 Easter Hunt]

The pursuers speedily rejoined the pursued, and felt happy in the
knowledge of his welfare. The abashment of the baronet, occasioned
by this untoward adventure, soon gave way to his characteristic
good-humour; and ~197~~ having resigned all further government of
the Squire's unruly quadruped, and resumed possession of his own, the
triumvirate proceeded towards the place of destination.

In the meanwhile, the city horsemen arose with Phoebus, to mount their
rosinantes, to be present at the enlargement of the stag, and were
roused from their slumbers according to order by the watchmen. The
motley group, that was early in the field, furnished a capital subject
for the caricaturist. Carts, horses, lame mares, and refractory donkies,
with their grotesque riders, covered the field, together with dandies in
chaises, and the lassies from St. Giles's, Chick-lane, Wapping, and
St. Catherine's, in market carts, with their sweet-hearts, considerably
swelled the number of the hunters. The stag was decorated with bunches
of ribbons, and seemed when enlarged much more frightened at the
appearance of the Londoners, than at the hounds, his natural enemies.
When the chase commenced, never was witnessed such a scene of confusion
and disorder. Upset carts, and unhorsed huntsmen, were seen in all
directions. The stag went off in good style, and out of hundreds of
horsemen, not above a dozen were able to keep their seats, but a number
of fellows were on the lurk to take care of the stray horses.

After a cursory glance at the variegated and boisterous assemblage,
the stag bounded forward with the velocity of lightning, amidst the
astounding shouts of the multitude, and was instantly followed by his
biped and quadruped foes of indescribable diversity, from the amateur
of the turf on his spirited and well caparisoned steed, to the spavined
gelding, bearing its cockney rider, and numerous other _annu