CHAPTER VII: "Buying a run."-- continued.
Early the next morning we all breakfasted together, and then separated with most polite adieux.

We sallied forth to look for a couple of riding horses.

There were none to be hired, so we had to buy two good-looking nags for 45 pounds a-piece.

Now-a-days the same horses would not fetch more than 10 pounds and I have been told that in Australia you can buy a horse for a shilling, but ours in New Zealand have never sunk lower than a couple of pounds, if they had any legs at all.

It seemed to the horse-dealer quite a superfluous question when I timidly inquired if my horse had ever carried a lady.