"Oh, it's you, is it ?" said the ostler, taking the letter and the half crown; "my master will be right glad to see you; why, you ha'n't been here for many a year; I'll carry the note to him at once." And with these words he hurried into the house.

"That's a nice horse, young man," said another ostler, "what will you take for it ?" to which 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.