The captain had affected the sea instead of the land service, while a
betting-list keeper, and found the bluff sailor character very taking.
'Avast there!' exclaimed he, as the groom ran the buckle up to the desired
hole. 'Now,' said he, gathering up the reins in a bunch, 'how many knots an
hour can this 'orse go?'
'Twenty,' replied the man, thinking he meant miles.
'Let her go, then!' exclaimed the captain, kicking the horse's sides with
his spurless heels.
Mr. Watchorn now mounted Harkaway; Sir Harry scrambled on to Hit-me-hard;
Miss Howard was hoisted on to Groggytoes, and all the rest being 'fit' with
horses of some sort or other, and the races in the front being over the
juveniles poured into the yard. Lady Scattercash's pony-phaeton turned out,
and our friends were at length ready for a start.
CHAPTER LXV
THE HUNT
While the foregoing arrangements were in progress, Mr. Watchorn had desired
Slarkey, the knife-boy, to go into the old hay-loft and take the
three-legged fox he would find, and put him down among the laurels by the
summer-house, where he would draw up to him all 'reg'lar' like.
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