To atone for the "chaffing" which he had been the means of inflicting on his friend, the little gentleman, a few days afterwards, proposed to take our hero to the Chipping Norton Steeple-chase, - Mr. Smalls and Mr. Fosbrooke making up the quartet for a tandem. It was on their return from the races, that, after having stopped at ~The Bear~ at Woodstock, "to wash out the horses' mouths," and having done this so effectually that the horses had appeared to have no mouths left, and had refused to answer the reins, and had smashed the cart against <VG208.JPG> a house, which had seemed to have danced into the middle of the road for their diversion, - and, after having put back to ~The Bear~, and prevailed upon that animal to lend them a nondescript vehicle of the "pre-adamite buggy" species, described by Sidney Smith, - that, much time having been consumed by the progress of this chapter of accidents, they did not reach Peyman's Gate until a late hour; and Mr. Verdant Green found that he was once more in difficulties. For they had no sooner got through the gate, than the wild octaves from Mr. Bouncer's post-horn were suddenly brought to a full stop, and Mr. Fosbrooke, who was the "waggoner," was brought to Woh! and was compelled to pull up in obedience to the command of the proctor, who, as on a previous occasion, suddenly appeared from behind the toll-house, in company with his marshal and bull-dogs. The Sentence pronounced on our hero the next day, was, "Sir! - You will translate all your lectures; have your name crossed on the buttery and kitchen books; and be confined to chapel, hall, and college." This sentence was chiefly annoying, inasmuch as it somewhat interfered with the duties and pleasures attendant upon his [AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 209] boating practice. For, wonderful to relate, Mr. Verdant Green had so much improved in the science, that he was now "Number 3" of his college "Torpid," and was in hard training. The Torpid races commenced on March 10th, and were continued on the following days. Our hero sent his father a copy of ~Tintinnabulum's Life~, which - after informing the Manor Green family that "the boats took up positions in the following order: "Brazenose, Exeter I, Wadham, Balliol, St. John's, Pembroke, University, Oriel, Brazenface, Christ Church I, Worcester, Jesus, Queen's, Christ Church 2, Exeter 2" - proceeded to enter into particulars of each day's sport, of which it is only necessary to record such as gave interest to our hero's family. "First day. *** Brazenface refused to acknowledge the bump by Christ Church (I) before they came to the Cherwell. There is very little doubt but that they were bumped at the Gut and the Willows. *** "Second day. *** Brazenface rowed pluckily away from Worcester. ***