"Does my uncle hunt much?"
"Every Monday and Saturday, and very often on the Wednesday."
"And you?"
"I call myself a three-day man, but I often make a fourth. Garth must be very far off if he don't see me. I don't do much with any other pack."
"Does my uncle ride?"
"Yes; he goes pretty well;—he says he don't. If he gets well away I think he rides as hard as ever he did. He don't like a stern chace."
"No more do I," said Ralph the heir. "But I'm often driven to make it. What can a fellow do? An old chap turns round and goes home, and doesn't feel ashamed of himself; but we can't do that. That's the time when one ruins his horses." Then he told all about the Moonbeam and the B. & B., and his own stud. The morning was half gone, and not a word had been said about business.
The Squire's son felt that it was so, and rushed at the subject all in a hurry. "I told you what I have come up to town about."
"Oh, yes; I understand."
"I suppose I may speak plainly," said the Squire's son.