"My pal knows quite well what to do with the whip, he's not going to beat the horse with it." About four hundred yards from the house there was a hill, to the foot of which the road ran almost on a perfect level; towards the foot of this hill I trotted the horse, who set off at a long, swift pace, seemingly at the rate of about sixteen miles an hour.

On reaching the foot of the hill, I wheeled the animal round, and trotted him towards the house--the horse sped faster than before.

Ere he had advanced a hundred yards, I took off my hat, in obedience to the advice which Mr.Petulengro had given me, in his own language, and holding it over the horse's head commenced drumming on the crown with the knob of the whip; the horse gave a slight start, but instantly recovering himself, continued his trot till he arrived at the door of the public-house, amidst the acclamations of the company, who had all rushed out of the house to be spectators of what was going on.

"I see now what you wanted the whip for," said the landlord, "and sure enough, that drumming on your hat was no bad way of learning whether the horse was quiet or not.

Well, did you ever see a more quiet horse, or a better trotter ?" "My cob shall trot against him," said a fellow, dressed in velveteen, mounted on a low powerful-looking animal.