ed the eyes, with abhorrent admiration, of any advocate of that
coldest of comforts--cold water--who should have got a chance peep at
our snuggery.

Suddenly, after a long pause, during which he had been stimulating his
ideas by assiduous fumigation, blowing off his steam in a long vapory
cloud that curled a minute afterward about his temples,--"What say you,
Frank, to a start tomorrow?" exclaimed Harry,--"and a week's right good
shooting?"

"Why, as for that," said I, "I wish for nothing better--but where the
deuce would you go to get shooting?"

"Never fash your beard, man," he replied, "I'll find the ground and the
game too, so you'll find share of the shooting!--Holloa! there--Tim, Tim
Matlock."

And in brief space that worthy minister of mine host's pleasures made
his appearance, smoothing down his short black hair, clipped in the
orthodox bowl fashion, over his bluff good-natured visage with one hand,
while he employed its fellow in hitching up a pair of most voluminous
unmentionables, of thick Yorkshire cord.

A character was Tim--and now I think of it, worthy of brief description.
Born, I believe--bred, certainly, in a hunting stable, far more of his
life passed in the saddle than elsewhere, it was not a little
characteristic of my friend Harry to have selected this piece of
Yorkshire oddity as his especial body servant; but if the choice were
queer, it was at least successful, for an honester, more faithful,
hard-working, and withal, better hearted, and more humorous varlet never
drew curry-comb over horse-hide, or clothes-brush over broad-cloth.

His visage was, as I have said already, bluff and good-natured, with a
pair of hazel eyes, of the smallest--but, at the same time, of the very
merriest--twinkling from under the thick black eyebrows, which were the
only hairs suffered to grace his clean-shaved countenance. An
indescribable pug nose, and a good clean cut mouth, with a continual
dimple at the left corner, made up his phiz. For the rest, four feet ten
inches did Tim stand in his stockings, about two-ten of which were
monopolized by his back, the shoulders of which would have done honor to
a six foot pugilist,--his legs, though short and bowed a little outward,
by continual horse exercise, were right tough serviceable members, and I
have seen them bearing their owner on through mud and mire, when
straighter, longer, and more fair proportioned limbs were at an awful
discount.

Depositing his hat t