acFarlane's just leaving as I
came up."

"Didn't he send a boy down with the horse?" asked Lord George.

"I believe there is a boy, and the boy'll be awfully bothered. I told
him to book the horse for Kilmarnock."

"They always do book for Kilmarnock for this meet," said a gentleman
who had made acquaintance with some of Lizzie's party on the previous
hunting-day;--"but Stewarton is ever so much nearer."

"So somebody told me in the carriage," continued Frank, "and I
contrived to get my box off at Stewarton. The guard was uncommon
civil, and so was the porter. But I hadn't a moment to look for the
boy."

"I always make my fellow stick to his horses," said Sir Griffin.

"But you see, Sir Griffin, I haven't got a fellow, and I've only
hired a horse. But I shall hire a good many horses from Mr.
MacFarlane if he'll always put me up like this."

"I'm so glad you're here," said Lizzie.

"So am I. I hunt about twice in three years, and no man likes it so
much. I've still got to find out whether the beast can jump."

"Any mortal thing alive, sir," said one of those horsey-looking
men who are to be found in all hunting-fields, who wear old brown
breeches, old black coats, old hunting-caps, who ride screws, and
never get thrown out.

"You know him, do you?" said Frank.

"I know him. I didn't know as Muster MacFarlane owned him. No more
he don't," said the horsey man, turning aside to one of his friends.
"That's Nappie's horse, from Jamaica Street."

"Not possible," said the friend.

"You'll tell me I don't know my own horse next."

"I don't believe you ever owned one," said the friend.

Lizzie was in truth delighted to have her cousin beside her. He had,
at any rate, forgiven what she had said to him at his last visit,
or he would not have been there. And then, too, there was a feeling
of reality in her connexion with him, which was sadly wanting to
her,--unreal as she was herself,--in her acquaintance with the other
people around her. And on this occasion three or four people spoke
or bowed to her, who had only stared at her before; and the huntsman
took off his cap, and hoped that he would do something better for her
than on the previous Monday. And the huntsman was very courteous also
to Miss Roanoke, expressing the same hope, cap in hand, and smiling
graciously. A huntsman at the beginning of any day or at the end of a
good day is so different from a huntsman at the end of a bad day! A
huntsman often has a