, how's this,
sir?'--'Please, sir, you said you could clean them better with a little
pump-water, so I tried it, and I do think they are worse!' Haw! haw!
haw!--Yon chap in the black plush breeches and Hessians, standing by the
ginger-pop tray, is the only man what ever got the better of me in the
'oss-dealing line, and he certainlie did bite me uncommon 'andsomely.
I gave him three and twenty pounds, a strong violin case with patent
hinges, lined with superfine green baize, and an uncut copy of
Middleton's _Cicero_, for an 'oss that the blacksmith really declared
wasn't worth shoeing.--Howsomever, I paid him off, for I christened the
'oss Barabbas--who, you knows, was a robber--and the seller has gone by
the name of Barabbas ever since."

"Well, but tell me, gentlemen, where do we dine?" inquired Jorrocks,
turning to a group who had just approached the fire-engine. "We don't
know yet," said a gentleman in scarlet, "the deer has not come yet; but
yonder he is," pointing up the road to a covered cart, "and there are
the hounds just coming over the hill at the back." The covered cart
approached, and several went to meet it. The cry of "Oh, it's old
Tunbridge," was soon heard. "Well, we shall have a good dinner," said
Jorrocks, "if that is the case. Is it Tunbridge?" inquired he eagerly
of one of the party who returned from the deer-cart. "Yes, it's old
Tunbridge, and Snooks has ordered dinner at the Wells for sixteen at
five o'clock, so the first sixteen that get there had better look out."
"Here, bouy," said Jorrocks in an undertone to his servant, who was
leading his screws about on the green, "take this 'oss out of the
carriage, and give him a feed of corn, and then go on to Tunbridge
Wells, and tell Mr. Pegg, at the Sussex Arms, that I shall be there with
a friend to the dinner, and bid him write 'Jorrocks' upon two plates and
place them together.--Nothing like making sure," said he, chuckling at
his own acuteness.

"Now to 'orse--to 'orse!" exclaimed he, suiting the action to the word,
and climbing on to his great chestnut, leaving the Yorkshireman to mount
the rat-tail brown. "Let's have a look at the 'ounds", turning his horse
in the direction in which they were coming. Jonathan Griffin[16] took off
his cap to Jorrocks, as he approached, who waved his hand in the most
patronising manner possible, adding "How are you, Jonathan?" "Pretty
well, thank you, Mister Jorrocks, hope you're the same." "No, not the
same, fo