interrogation I made no answer. 'If you
wish to sell him,' said the ostler, coming up to me, and winking
knowingly, 'I think I and my partners might offer you a summut under
seventy pounds;' to which kind of half-insinuated offer I made no reply,
save by winking in the same kind of knowing manner in which I had
observed him wink. 'Rather leary!' said a third ostler. 'Well, young
man, perhaps you will drink to-night with me and my partners, when we can
talk the matter over.' Before I had time to answer, the landlord, a
well-dressed, good-looking man, made his appearance with the ostler; he
bore the letter in his hand. Without glancing at me, he betook himself
at once to consider the horse, going round him, and observing every point
with the utmost minuteness. At last, after having gone round the horse
three times, he stopped beside me, and keeping his eyes on the horse,
bent his head towards his right shoulder. 'That horse is worth some
money,' said he, turning towards me suddenly, and slightly touching me on
the arm with the letter which he held in his hand; to which observation I
made no reply, save by bending my head towards the right shoulder as I
had seen him do. 'The young man is going to talk to me and my partners
about it to-night,' said the ostler who had expressed an opinion that he
and his friends might offer me somewhat under seventy pounds for the
animal. 'Pooh!' said the landlord, 'the young man knows what he is
about; in the meantime lead the horse to the reserved stall, and see well
after him. My friend,' said he, taking me aside after the ostler had led
the animal away, 'recommends you to me in the strongest manner, on which
account alone I take you and your horse in. I need not advise you not to
be taken in, as I should say, by your look, that you are tolerably awake;
but there are queer hands at Horncastle at this time, and those fellows
of mine, you understand me--; but I have a great deal to do at present,
so you must excuse me,' and thereupon went into the house.

That same evening I was engaged at least two hours in the stable, in
rubbing the horse down, and preparing him for the exhibition which I
intended he should make in the fair on the following day. The ostler, to
whom I had given the half-crown, occasionally assisted me, though he was
too much occupied by the horses of other guests to devote any length of
time to the service of mine; he more than once repeated to me his firm
conv