was a leading character in the neighbouring hunts; knew every
sportsman in the field, and in the course of half an hour, carried me
over Godrington's manors, Moystoris district, and Somerset range,{56}
taking many a bold leap in his progress, and never losing _sight of the
dogs_. "We shall try your mettle, sir," said he, "if we catch you out
for a day's sport; and if you are not quite mounted at present to
your mind, I have always a spare nag in the stable for the use of a
freshman."

56 The three packs of hounds contiguous to Oxford.

Though I did not relish the concluding appellation, coming from a
tavern-keeper, I could not help thanking Peake for his liberal offer;
yet without any intention of risking my neck in a steeple chase.
The interview had, however, been productive of some amusement and
considerable information. The bottle was now nearly finished; filling
my last glass, I drank success to the Mitre, promised to patronise
the landlord, praise the hostess, coquet with the little cherry-cheek,
chirping lass in the bar, and kiss as many of the chamber-maids as I
could persuade to let me. Wishing mine host a good night, and ringing
for my bed-candle, I proceeded to put the last part of my promise into
immediate execution.

COLLEGE SERVANTS.

Descriptive Sketch of a College Scout--Biography of Mark
Supple--Singular Invitation to a Spread.

The next morning, early, while at breakfast, I received a visit from
Mr. Mark Supple, the _scout_, of whom mine host of the Mitre had on
the preceding night spoken so highly. There was nothing certainly very
prepossessing in his exterior appearance; and if he had not previously
been eulogised as the most estimable of college servants, I should not
have caught the impression from a first glance. He was somewhere about
sixty years of age, of diminutive stature and spare habit, a lean
brother with a scarlet countenance, impregnated with tints of many
a varied hue, in which however the richness of the ruby and the soft
purple of the ultramarine evidently predominated. His forehead was
nearly flat; upon his eyebrows and over his _os frontis_ and scalp, a
few straggling straight hairs were extended as an apology for a wig,
but which was much more like a discarded crow's nest turned upside down.
Immense black bushy eyebrows overhung a pair of the queerest looking
oculars I had ever seen; below which sprung forth what had once been, no
doubt, a nose, and perhap