"Where's your soldier now?" shouted out a chorus of voices.
"Shure it's myself," said the captain, "could never be licked."
"Most unfortunate!" said the old Colonel, "a dirty trick; and after my kindness to him, too!"
"The soldier is going at it again!" cried the people; and the horse is seen to rise gallantly at it, but both horse and rider came down on the other side.
"Och, wirra wirra, vo vo! Mother of Moses, he's kilt entirely!" bawled out a countryman; "poor young fellow!"
"Miss Gwynne's fainted," said a young sub, running into the tent for water.
"By G—d! he's up and at it again," screamed out the sly little man: "the mare's baked too; look at her tail."
All faces were flushed and eager. The horse was coming along at a tremendous pace. The captain was at work: his legs could be seen sending the spurs deeply into her; and he took an anxious look over his shoulder every now and then.
"The mare's beaten!" resounded on all sides, as she was seen to swerve in her stride.
"Oh that the finish were only a hundred yards farther!" said Lord Plunger.