eded never to have wanted a
mount. There was not a man with a stable who would not have been well
pleased to see his horse ridden by such a rider; but L'Estrange declined
all such offers,--a sensitive fear of being called a hunting parson
deterred him; indeed, it was easy to see by the rarity with which he
permitted himself the loved indulgence, what a struggle he maintained
between will and temptation, and how keenly he felt the sacrifice he
imposed upon himself.

Such, in brief, was the party who were now seated at table, well pleased
to find themselves in presence of an admirable dinner, in a room replete
with every comfort.

The day's run, of course, formed the one topic of their talk, and a
great deal of merriment went on about the sailor-like performances of
Jack, who had been thrown twice, but on the whole acquitted himself
creditably, and had taken one high bank so splendidly as to win a cheer
from all who saw him.

"I wish you had not asked that poor Frenchman to follow you, Jack,"
said Augustus; "he was really riding very nicely till he came to that
unlucky fence."

"I only cried out, 'Venez donc, monsieur,' and when I turned my head,
after clearing the bank, I saw his horse with his legs in the air and
monsieur underneath."

"When I picked him up," broke in L'Estrange, "he said, 'Merci mille
fois, monsieur,' and then fainted off, the poor fellow's face actually
wearing the smile of courtesy he had got up to thank me."

"Why will Frenchmen try things that are quite out of their beat?" said
Jack.

"That's a most absurd prejudice of yours, Master Jack," cried the
diplomatist. "Frenchmen ride admirably, now-a-days. I've seen a
steeple-chase in Normandy, over as stiff a course, and as well ridden,
as ever Leicestershire witnessed."

"Yes, yes; I've heard all that," said the sailor, "just as I 've heard
that their iron fleet is as good, if not better, than our own."

"I think our own newspapers rather hint that," said L'Estrange.

"They do more," said Temple; "they prove it. They show a numerical
superiority in ships, and they give an account of guns and weight of
metal dead against us."

"I 'll not say anything of the French; but this much I will say," cried
the sailor; "the question will have to be settled one of these days,
and I 'm right glad to think that it cannot be done by writers in
newspapers."

"May I come in?" cried a soft voice; and a very, pretty head, with long
fair ringlets, appeare