Robinson, when he announced his
intention, "you will have another companion. Mr. Edwards means to ride."

Ashburner had seen Edwards driving a magnificent trotter about Oldport,
but could not exactly fancy him outside of a horse, and conjectured that
he would not make quite so good a figure as when leading the redowa down
a long ball-room. But the hero of the dance was not forthcoming for
some time, so they mounted, Benson his pet Charlie, and the Englishman
the best horse the stables of Oldport could furnish, which it is hardly
necessary to say was not too good a one, and were leaving the village
leisurely to give the carriages a good start of them, when they heard
close behind the patter of a light-stepping horse, and the next moment
Tom Edwards ranged up along side. The little man rode a bright bay mare,
rising above fifteen hands, nearly full-blooded, but stepping steadily
and evenly, without any of that fidget and constant change of gait which
renders so many blood-horses any thing but agreeable to ride, and
carrying her head and tail to perfection. He wore white cord trousers, a
buff waistcoat, and a very natty white hair-cloth cap. His coat was
something between a summer sack and a cutaway,--the color, a rich green
of some peculiar and indescribable shade. His spurs were very small, but
highly polished; and, instead of a whip, he carried a little red cane
with a carved ivory head. In his marvellously fitting white buckskin
glove he managed a rein of some mysterious substance that looked like a
compound of india-rubber and sea-weed. He sat his mare beautifully--with
a little too much aim at effect, perhaps; but gracefully and firmly at
the same time. Ashburner glanced at his own poor beast and wished for
Daredevil, whose antics he had frequently controlled with great success
at Devilshoof; and Benson could not help looking a little mortified, for
Charlie was not very well off for tail, and had recollections of his
harness days, which made him drop his head at times and pull like a
steam engine; besides which, Harry--partly, perhaps, from motives of
economy, partly, as he said, because he thought it snobbish to ride in
handsome toggery--always mounted in the oldest clothes he had, and with
a well-used bridle and saddle. But there was no help for it now, so off
the three went together at a fair trot, and soon overtook most of the
party, Edwards putting his spurs into the bay mare and showing off her
points and his h