But Maximilian Bray's skin was too thick for the little barb to penetrate; and he rode gingerly on, petting his whiskers, and altering the sit of his hat; when, being thoroughly occupied with his costume, horse and man nearly came headlong to the ground, in consequence of the mare stumbling over a small heap of road-scrapings. But the little animal saved herself, though only by a violent effort, which completely unseated Maximilian Bray, who was thrown forward upon her neck, his hat being dislodged and falling with a sharp bang into the dusty road. "All right! No bones broken! You've better luck than I have!" laughed Charley, as he fished up the fallen hat with his hunting-whip. "Nip her well with your knees, man, and then you won't be unseated again in that fashion. Here, take your hat." "Bai Jove!" ejaculated the breathless dandy, "it's too bad! That fellow who left the sweepings by the roadside ought to be shot! Mai dear fellow, your governor, as a magistrate, ought to see to it! Tha-a-anks!" He took his hat, and began ruefully to wipe off the dust with a scented handkerchief before again covering his head; but though he endeavoured to preserve an outward appearance of calm, there was wrath in his breast as he gazed down at one lemon-coloured tight glove split to ribbons, and a button burst away from his surtout coat. He could feel too that his moustache was coming out of curl, and it only wanted the sharp shower which now came pattering down to destroy the last remains of his equanimity. "Bai Jove, how beastly unfortunate!" he exclaimed, urging his steed into a smart canter. "Well, I don't know," said Charley coolly, in his rough tweed suit that no amount of rain would have injured. "Better to-day than to-morrow. Do no end of good, and bring on the hay." "Ya-a-as, I suppose so," drawled Bray; "but do a confounded deal of harm!" and he gazed at the sleeves of his glossy Saville-row surtout. "O, never mind your coat, man!" laughed Charley. "See how it lays the dust!" "Ya-a-as, just so," drawled Bray. "I shall take this short cut and get home. Only a shower! Bye-bye! See you to-morrow! Come to lunch." The ragged lemon glove was waved to Charley as its owner turned down a side lane; and now that his costume was completely disordered and wet, he made no scruple about digging his spurs into his mare's flanks, and galloping homewards; while, heedless of the sharply-falling rain, Charley gently cantered on towards the town. "Damsels in distress!" exclaimed the young man suddenly. "`Bai Jove!' as Long-ears says. Taken refuge from the rain beneath a tree! Leaves, young and weak, completely saturated--impromptu shower--bath! What shall I do? Lend them my horse? No good. They would not ride double, like Knight Templars. Ride off, then, for umbrellas, I suppose. Why didn't that donkey stop a little longer? and then he could have done it."