nifred. 'If thou goest with that man,
thou wilt soon forget all our profitable counsels; come with us.'

"'I cannot; I have much to say to him. Kosko Divous, Mr. Petulengro.'

"'Kosko Divvus, Pal,' said Mr. Petulengro, riding through the water; 'are
you turning back?'

"I turned back with Mr. Petulengro."

At another time Jasper twists about like a weasel bewitching a bird, and
in so doing puts 50 pounds unnoticed into Lavengro's pocket. Lavengro is
indignant at the pleasantry. But Jasper insists; the money is for him to
buy a certain horse; if he will not take the money and buy the horse
there will be a quarrel. He has made the money by fair fighting in the
ring, has nowhere to put it, and seriously thinks that it were best
invested in this fine horse, which accordingly Borrow purchases and takes
across England, and sells at Horncastle Fair for 150 pounds. The next
scene shows Tawno Chikno at his best. Borrow has been trotting the horse
and racing it against a cob, amid a company that put him "wonderfully in
mind of the ancient horse-races of the heathen north," so that he almost
thought himself Gunnar of Lithend. But Tawno was the man to try the
horse at a jump, said Jasper. Tawno weighed sixteen stone, and the owner
thought him more likely to break the horse's back. Jasper became very
much excited, and offered to forfeit a handful of guineas if harm was
done.

"'Here's the man. Here's the horse-leaper of the world. . . .' Tawno,
at a bound, leaped into the saddle, where he really looked like Gunnar of
Hlitharend, save and except that the complexion of Gunnar was florid,
whereas that of Tawno was of nearly Mulatto darkness; and that all
Tawno's features were cast in the Grecian model, whereas Gunnar had a
snub nose. 'There's a leaping-bar behind the house,' said the landlord.
'Leaping-bar!' said Mr. Petulengro, scornfully. 'Do you think my black
pal ever rides at a leaping bar? No more than at a windle-straw. Leap
over that meadow wall, Tawno.' Just past the house, in the direction in
which I had been trotting, was a wall about four feet high, beyond which
was a small meadow. Tawno rode the horse gently up to the wall,
permitted him to look over, then backed him for about ten yards, and
pressing his calves against the horse's sides, he loosed the rein, and
the horse launching forward, took the leap in gallant style. 'Well done,
man and horse!' said Mr. Petulengro; 'now come back, Tawno.' The le