dolph, after the leading squadron had
charged in line. "Mind yourselves, boys!"

"March--trot--gallop."

On we went like waves of the sea, regularly enough at first, then
slightly inclining to the line of beauty, as some of the weaker hacks
began to show symptoms of bellows.

"Cha--a--rge!"

"Go ahead!" cried Randolph, sticking his spurs into his Bucephalus.
Masaniello, with a snort, fairly took the bridle into his teeth, and
dashed off with me at a speed which threatened to throw the ranks into
utter confusion. As for Pounset, he appeared to be possessed with the
fury of a demon. His kicking mare sent up at every stride large clods of
sand in the teeth of the unfortunate Anthony Whaup, whose presence of
mind seemed at last to have forsaken him.

"What the mischief are you after, Whaup?" panted the trooper on his
left. "Just take your foot out of my stirrup, will you?"

"Devil a bit!" quoth Anthony, "I'm too glad to get anything to hold on
by."

"If you don't, you're a gone 'coon. There!--I told you." And the steed
of Anthony was rushing riderless among the press.

I don't know exactly how we pulled up. I have an indistinct notion that
I owed my own arrest to Neptune, and that Masaniello was chest deep in
the sea before he paid the slightest attention to my convulsive tugs at
the bridle. Above the rush of waves I heard a yell of affright, and
perceived that I had nearly ridden over the carcass of a fat old
gentleman, who, _in puris naturalibus_, was disporting himself in the
water, and who now, in an agony of terror, and apparently under the
impression that he was a selected victim for the tender mercies of the
yeomanry, struck out vigorously for Inchkeith. I did not tarry to watch
his progress, but returned as rapidly as possible to the squadron.

By this time the shores of Portobello were crowded with habitual
bathers. There is a graceful _abandon_, and total absence of prudery,
which peculiarly characterise the frequenters of that interesting spot,
and reminds one forcibly of the manners of the Golden Age. Hirsute
Triton and dishevelled Nereid there float in unabashed proximity; and,
judging from the usual number of spectators, there is something
remarkably attractive in the style of these aquatic exercises.

The tide was pretty far out, so that of course there was a wide tract of
sand between the shingle and the sea. Our squadron was again formed in
line, when a bathing-machine was observed leisurely bea