ould be sure
to see a good hunt, and that he, Lord Ballindine, had a few words to
say to him on business, just while the dogs were being put into the
cover. Martin, as usual, had a good horse which he was disposed to
sell, if, as he said, he got its value; and wrote to say he would wait
on Lord Ballindine at eleven. The truth was, Frank wanted to borrow
money from him.

Another note was sent to the Glebe, requesting the Rector to come to
breakfast and to look at the hounds being thrown off. The modest style
of the invitation was considered as due to Mr Armstrong's clerical
position, but was hardly rendered necessary by his habits; for though
the parson attended such meetings in an old suit of rusty black, and
rode an equally rusty-looking pony, he was always to be seen, at the
end of the day, among those who were left around the dogs.

On the Tuesday morning there was a good deal of bustle at Kelly's
Court. All the boys about the place were collected in front of the
house, to walk the gentlemen's horses about while the riders were at
breakfast, and earn a sixpence or a fourpenny bit; and among them,
sitting idly on the big steppingstone placed near the door, was Jack
the fool, who, for the day, seemed to have deserted the service of
Barry Lynch.

And now the red-coats flocked up to the door, and it was laughable
to see the knowledge of character displayed by the gossoons in the
selection of their customers. One or two, who were known to be "bad
pays," were allowed to dismount without molestation of any kind, and
could not even part with their steeds till they had come to an absolute
bargain as to the amount of gratuity to be given. Lambert Brown was one
of these unfortunate characters--a younger brother who had a little,
and but a very little money, and who was determined to keep that. He
was a miserable hanger-on at his brother's house, without profession
or prospects; greedy, stingy, and disagreeable; endowed with a squint,
and long lank light-coloured hair: he was a bad horseman, always
craning and shirking in the field, boasting and lying after dinner;
nevertheless, he was invited and endured because he was one of the
Browns of Mount Dillon, cousin to the Browns of Castle Brown, nephew to
Mrs Dillon the member's wife, and third cousin of Lord Ballaghaderrin.

He dismounted in the gravel circle before the door, and looked round
for someone to take his horse; but none of the urchins would come to
him. At last he