'keep, if ye dinnot wacken him up a bit noo an' then;' and Crisp smiled the smile of the melodramatic villain as he propounded this deep and horsey aphorism.

Woa, I say,' again fairly shouted Barjona, perspiring in every pore with futile efforts to reduce his mount' to a state of proper subjection. 'The beast's possessed! Little thought I when this 'morning I left my habitation- Another caper, lively beyond all precedent, cut short the sentence, and completely knocked the breath out of the body of the irascible member of the Society of Friends.

The beast was possessed, only it would have required a third party to specify with what. When Crisp so readily dismounted he had devised a scheme whereby he hoped to cover his enemy with confusion, and that scheme was now working. We have already heard how, for economy's sake, Barjona turned his gardener into a groom. Very well. Notwithstanding all Ryan's teaching, the stable floriculturist was yet a neophyte in the art of valet-ing a horse, and chiefly in the very necessary mystery of saddling. Although the peculiar angle of the withers of the Quaker's Rosinante precluded the necessity for excessive care in girthing him, he nevertheless required to be girthed somehow; but (as Črisp admitted when subsequently relating the story) he was girthed nohow. This fact, added to that of Barjona's (he was very much of a welter weight, remember), being as unsteady in his ill-fitting saddle as a farmer who is returning from market with his legs properly stretched, afforded Crisp an opening for his retributive essay he was not slow to accept. Mat did not fiddle many seconds over the imaginary stone in that off hind foot, but transferred his attention to the girth. There, pretending to take in a reef, he managed to let one out, and at the same time to attach a bunch of prickly furze, which tormented the once mighty hunter's belly every time he stirred, made him stir more, caused him to dance an irregular hornpipe, and filled Barjona's breast with anguish. There is a limit to the endurance even of horseflesh and blood, and the veteran Teddy O'Toole, who had in his day 'taken' Irish banks and stone walls with the heart of a lion, and, subsequently, had not been cast down-irretrievably-during hard experience by the pole of a Westmoreland coach, didn't like it. In fact (so far as his dumbness would permit), he said so. He kicked against the pricks, and shook Barjona the while until the unhappy Quaker was almost reduced to the consistency of blancmange. But Crisp's vengeance was not quite sated yet.

The stone cannot have been removed-woa!-the creature's 'disquietude increaseth, Crisp. Verily I would descend-oh! dear, ' will he never keep still? I would descend, were he to calm him'self for one instant. Woa

By this time Crisp had remounted, and with most aggravating composure was endeavouring, how successfully may be guessed, to calm the perturbed spirit of the resuscitated veteran. It was in vain. Presently the horse displayed a method in his madness. In a fretful sidling canter, increasing the pace momentarily,

and of course stimulated thereto by the unseen bunch of furze (for furze read spurs'), he bore the quivering Quaker, much to that gentleman's terror, in the direction of the meet. Crisp's eyes sparkled maliciously as now and then down the wind came the whimper of a hound, or the clear note of the horn, for he saw that the old horse felt it,' and would require very slight encouragement indeed to cause him to join, what a fine writer would call, the 'mimic fray.' Gradually, for although the Quaker was speechless with his exertions, the horse had not broken out of his fretful style of locomotion, they got nearer the covert; and the noises therefrom increasing in number and volume, it only needed Crisp to play the good Samaritan in a loud-voiced ostentatious manner, and to occasionally take hold of the horse's head, in order to make the beast ripe for flat mutiny. The supreme moment at last arrived. They had reached a portion of the road where the quickset hedge was stunted and broken-an easy leap, with a slight drop to follow.' Down the wind again came the pealing tongues' of the hounds, this time a pealing chorus, deep, mellow, long-drawn out. Crisp, as though he could bear it no longer, gave Kelpie a slight touch of one persuader, and deftly pricked the Quaker's Bucephalus with the other. Breeding will tell!

Before Barjona could fairly realize the novelty of his position, his rare old crock-thrilled, it may be presumed, with the joyous sound that brought back the memory of happier days-was bearing him, he clinging (à la the citizen of credit and renown') with all his might to all the mane, swiftly across a nice sound bit of grass, emphatically 'rig and fur.' How he got over he himself never knew. The sweet little cherub that sits up aloft, keeping watch over Dibdin's unexceptionable seaman, probably took him in hand. Crisp gravely waited until he saw Teddy O'Toole gently deposit his old plague upon the summit of a yielding mound of top-dressing; and then, with a heart too full for the minor joys of the meet, releaped the hedge, and returned to Heatherthorp. The homeward journey was distinguished by a solitary remark.

'Kelpie, my lad, I wonder how t'Quaker wad fraäme tee argy noo?' What caused our young ladies, Miss Wilson and Miss Vandervelde, to chat so animatedly, and laugh so cheerily, as they spun along the road to The Place? The stilted old-world compliments paid them by Sir Harry Sursingle could scarcely have produced such an effect; neither could the frank admiration of a group of ruddycheeked young gentlemen farmers and yeomen; while the polite but inane conversation of the M.P. that was to be went for nothing at all. Depend upon it they were plotting. At dinner it was just the same. Indeed, so hearty was their mirth, the Squire wondered, and his wonder increased when, after dinner, in the drawing-room, they would talk about the forthcoming races: wanted to know all about the absurd match between Mr. Woodridge and Doctor Sutton (never blushing, mind, at the mention of these names), hoped he would take them to the races, no matter what sort of weather, and-now-wouldn't he,

there was a dear papa? Yes, there was a charming Mr. Wilson! Wouldn't he invite some nice people to The Place for the races ? Is it perhaps unnecessary to remark that they bewildered him into promising everything they asked?

Next morning that long-suffering lady's-maid Burroughes had her 'life worrited out of her,' as she with more force than elegance expressed it. She was enjoined to wait upon Crisp when he arrived, and immediately to give them a parcel he would bring-immediately, recollect.

'Very well, 'm,' said Burroughes, in high dudgeon. 'I under'stand-him-mediately; you shall have it.'

Crisp came, and duly delivered the parcel; and it was conveyed to Miss Wilson's room him-mediately.' But Burroughes's troubles had only commenced. She was requested to hold herself in readiness to proceed to Heatherthorp, to return the parcel to Crisp-to Crisp alone, recollect. And while at Heatherthorp she was to execute a certain commission; and, greatest insult of all (She was sure, indeed! Come up, now, what did her mistress mean, she would like to know ?), she was not to linger by the way,-to say nothing to any one respecting the cause of her visit,-and chiefly to avoid that long-tongued gossip Mr. Essom.

Burroughes, however, succeeded in accomplishing all that was required of her, and her mind was at peace, for one day at all events, the young ladies devoting that to the cultivation of a headache in Kate's room-a headache which prevented their joining Mr. Wilson at dinner.

In Heatherthorp just now there was little lack of topics for conversation. A good circumstantial lie will there enjoy robust vitality for a calendar month; and (a lie that is founded on facts' (as the goody novelists put it) lasts for generations. Barjona was aware of the borough's most charming characteristic, and when he was affectionately asked how he enjoyed his run, if he was going to have the brush mounted, and whether he intended entering his nag for the Welter, he groaned inwardly, and bemoaned the day he incensed Matthew Crisp. For the shrewd Quaker did not guess twice about the author of his wretched ride across country. This was one' topic.

Then there was another. Ryan failed to send the weights for the match. Essom fidgeted a good deal about the horse-dealer's neglect, and very reasonably; he wanted the bills out, besides, as he put it one night in the bar-parlour of the Sursingle, It paralyses the betting. Admitting that Ryan had to look out some Irish matters and what not in order to put the horses together, we, as a race 'committee, ought not to suffer, and, as I said before, it paralyses the betting.' Nevertheless, the great Ryan remained dumb, whereat Crisp, who made daily inquiries, silently chafed, and predicted foul play.

One morning about this period the Doctor was preparing for his rounds, and, prior to mounting, was holding a professional con

ference in the surgery with Robson, when a neatly-folded parcel, superscribed Doctor Sutton,' was placed in his hands. At that moment there was a ring at the housebell, and looking out he saw it was Miss Cardmums.

'What the deuce can she want?' said he to himself. Some 'dispensary business, I suppose. Mat, walk the mare about for the present.-Tell Miss Cardmums I will wait upon her di'rectly.'

Once, some years back, Priscilla Cardmums possessed a comely face and figure. Report said so, and judging from the by no means ill-favoured, though somewhat worn countenance that met the Doctor on his entry into the room, report was no liar.

After the usual conventionalities, she said, speaking in a low but distinct tone:

Doctor Sutton, I am older than you-a strange expression this 'for a lady, you think-and although a lady, I claim the privilege of seniority to speak plainly to you.'

Whatever Miss Cardmums may say shall receive my deepest ' attention,' replied the Doctor.

'I expected nothing less. Under Providence, Doctor Sutton,and I have nursed others too long not to know the extent of my ' own danger during my illness,-under Providence you saved my life, and,'-here the least flush of colour overspread her face'since then I have taken an affectionate (you will not misunderstand 'me) interest in yours.'

I can never sufficiently express my high sense of your regard, Miss Cardmums,' said the doctor, gravely.

You are, I hear, about to engage in-horse-racing, and a very dangerous description of horse-racing: you are about to imperil a young and precious life. Oh, Doctor Sutton, let me beseech you to 'forego this idle-'

• Miss Cardmums !'

Pardon me if I use the wrong word; 'tis not to wound you, ' believe me. Abandon this hazardous amusement.

I regret to say I cannot. My word is pledged.' 'Break it !'

The Doctor made no reply.

Say you will.'

There! again I use the wrong word. A gentleman would not 'violate his pledge. Is there no escape from this?'

None. Any other favour, Miss Cardmums?'

She made no reply now, but rose, and sadly bidding the Doctor good morning, was gone.

Eccentric old creature,' said the Doctor. 'I verily believe she would have wept had she stayed another minute. Poor thing! 'It's awfully kind of her after all. I could not chaff her, she was 'so distressingly earnest. Now let's see what's in the parcel.'

A daintily-folded, neatly-tied package, with the name, Doctor Sutton, in characters that cause the Doctor to start, and tear open the parcel as though catching an express train depended upon his

alacrity. Why should he be so anxious to explore the interior? Ah! what have we here?

Whew! my colours; rose-and-grey and white cap. Worked by her hand too. O my bonny, bonny Kate! if Arthur Sutton don't carry these colours to the fore his hand has lost its cunning, and Kelpie, who saved your darling life, will know the reason why!'Miss Cardmums, had I known there were in this parcel such arguments for my going on with the match, could I have been as 'patient with you as I was? And my colours too. Not his.'

CRICKET.-THE SCHOOL AVERAGES.

(Continued.)

WE are enabled this month to continue the publication of the school averages for batting and bowling in 1868, which we commenced in our last number. The first on our list is Rugby.

The bowling averages have unfortunately not been sent. The school has had a very successful season. They have played fifteen matches of importance, of which they have won eight and lost four, while three were drawn. Amongst their most successful essays were the match against Marlborough, in which Rugby got 384 in a single innings, Marlborough only succeeding in obtaining 124 and 127; the match against Liverpool, in which the school got 258, and their antagonists 98; and the match against Upper Tooting, in which VOL. XVI. NO. 106.

D