in particular,
that had often spun up the steepest hills with him; a brute of
prodigious bone and spirit. He bought this animal for a moderate price,
considering his value: and then the next thing was--and indeed with some
of us it precedes the purchase of the animal--to learn to ride.

He had only two days to acquire this accomplishment in: so he took a
compendious method. He went to the circus, at noon, and asked to see
the clown. A gloomy fellow was fished out of the nearest public, and
inquired what he wanted.

"The clown."

"Well, I am the clown."

"What! you the merry chap that makes the fun?" said Henry,
incredulously.

"I make the fun at night," replied the man, dolefully. "If you want fun
out of me, come and pay your shilling, like a man."

"But it isn't fun I'm come for. I want to learn to ride."

"Then you are too old. Why, we begin as soon as we can stand on a
horse's back."

"Oh, I don't mean to ride standing. I want to sit a horse, rearing, or
plunging, or blundering over rough ground."

"What will you stand?"

"A sovereign."

The clown dived into the public-house, and told a dark seedy man, with
his black hair plastered and rolled effeminately, that he had got a
bloke who would stand a quid for a mount. The two came out, and the
plastered Italian went to the stables: the melancholy punster conducted
Henry into the arena, and stood beside him like Patience on a monument.
Presently a quiet mare ran in, and stuck.

Henry was mounted, and cantered her round, the two men instinctively
following in a smaller circle, with jaws as long as your arm.

"This is delightful," said Henry; "but I might as well be sitting in a
chair. What I want is a Prancer."

Then they brought him another horse, just as docile as the mare. The
obedient creature, at a signal, reared suddenly, and seated Mr. Little
on the sawdust behind him. A similar result was attained several times,
by various means. But Henry showed himself so tough, courageous, and
persistent, that he made great progress, and his good-humor won his
preceptors. They invited him to come tomorrow, at an earlier hour,
and bring half a quid with him. He did so, and this time there was an
American rider rehearsing, who showed Henry what to do, and what not
to do; and gave him a most humorous and instructive lesson. Indeed, his
imitations of bad riding were so truthful and funny, that even the clown
was surprised into one laugh; he who rarely smiled, un