orth to go any farther for several hours."

"Very well, and if I propose staying here till the evening?--we have
ridden far, and are in no great hurry."

"To be sure not--sure and certain not," cried the Corporal. "Ah, Master,
you know how to command, I see. Nothing like discretion--discretion,
Sir, is a jewel. Sir, it is more than jewel--it's a pair of stirrups!"

"A what? Bunting."

"Pair of stirrups, your honour. Stirrups help us to get on, so does
discretion; to get off, ditto discretion. Men without stirrups look
fine, ride bold, tire soon: men without discretion cut dash, but knock
up all of a crack. Stirrups--but what sinnifies? Could say much more,
your honour, but don't love chatter."

"Your simile is ingenious enough, if not poetical," said Walter; "but it
does not hold good to the last. When a man falls, his discretion should
preserve him; but he is often dragged in the mud by his stirrups."

"Beg pardon--you're wrong," quoth the Corporal, nothing taken by
surprise; "spoke of the new-fangled stirrups that open, crank, when we
fall, and let us out of the scrape." [Note: Of course the Corporal does
not speak of the patent stirrup: that would be an anachronism.]

Satisfied with this repartee, the Corporal now (like an experienced
jester) withdrew to leave its full effect on the admiration of his
master. A little before sunset the two travellers renewed their journey.

"I have loaded the pistols, Sir," said the Corporal, pointing to the
holsters on Walter's saddle. "It is eighteen miles off to the next
town--will be dark long before we get there."

"You did very right, Bunting, though I suppose there is not much danger
to be apprehended from the gentlemen of the highway."

"Why the Landlord do say the revarse, your honour,--been many robberies
lately in these here parts."

"Well, we are fairly mounted, and you are a formidable-looking fellow,
Bunting."

"Oh! your honour," quoth the Corporal, turning his head stiffly away,
with a modest simper, "You makes me blush; though, indeed, bating that I
have the military air, and am more in the prime of life, your honour is
well nigh as awkward a gentleman as myself to come across."

"Much obliged for the compliment!" said Walter, pushing his horse a
little forward--the Corporal took the hint and fell back.

It was now that beautiful hour of twilight when lovers grow especially
tender. The young traveller every instant threw his dark eyes upward,
and though