As for Roper he had bragged how he could stand fire, but seeing a great light over the village, he set off full Swing to look after his ricks and barns. The next thing to be done was charging, and between you and me, I was most anxious about that, as many of us could only ride up to a certain _pitch_. As you’ve often been throwd you’ll know what I mean: to tell the truth, when the word came, I seed some lay hold of their saddles, but Barnes had better have laid hold of anything else in the world, for it turn’d round with him at the first start. Simpkin fell at the same time insensibly, but the doctor dismounted and was very happy to attend him without making any charge whatever. All the rest went off gallantly, either gallopping or cantering, tho’ as they say at Canterbury races, their was some wonderful tailing on account of the difference of the nags. Grimsby’s mare was the last of the lot, and for her backwardness in charging we called her the Mare of Bristol, but he took the jest no better than Cobb did, and when we wheel’d to the right he was left. Between friends, I was not sorry when the word came to pull up,--such crossing, and josling, and foul riding; but two farmers seemed to like it, for they never halted when the rest did, but gallopped on out of sight. I have since heard they had matched their two nags the day before to run two miles for a sovereign; I don’t think a sovereign should divert a man from his king: but I can’t write the result as they newer came back,--I suppose on account of the wet. The rains, to speak cavalry like, had got beyond bearing rains; and when we formed line again it was like a laundress’s clothes line, for there wasn’t a dry shirt on it. One man on a lame horse rode particularly restive, and objected in such critical weather to a long review. He wouldn’t be cholera morbus’d, he said, for Duke or Devil, but should put his horse up, and go home by the blue Stage; by way of answer he was ordered to give up his arms and his jacket, which he did very off hand, as it was wet thro’. Howsomever it was thought prudent to dispense with us till fine weather, so we was formed into a circle--9 bobble square, and the Duke thanked us in a short speech for being so regular, and loyal, and soldier-like, after which every man that had kept his seat gave three cheers. [Illustration: AN OBJECTION TO CROSSING THE LINE.]