The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 91: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN. “Well, Pll do it; but if anything happens—” Now, as the intelligent reader well knows, such words will admit of a variety of constructions, and Frank, not being very suspicious, thought no- thing of them. _ “ You can have a horse, sir; but she’s rather fresh.” “That doesn’t matter. I like a little spirit in a horse.” “Saddle Brown Bess,” shouted the stable-keeper. “Brown Bess, sir!” said the man, scratching his head. “Yes, Brown Bess! Don’t you hear what I say, you great gaping idiot?” “‘ Mad Bess she ought to be called,” muttered the man, as he walked away to do as ordered. “Don’t you ride that mare, Frank,” said Freddy, “She is a most vicious brute.” “Only a little spirit, I suppose.” In a minute Brown Bess made her appearance, and a wild-looking creature she was, though extremely handsome. ‘“ Brown Bess is a soldier’s musket, Frank, If you load that Brown Bess, it is you.who will go off,” -observed Freddy, who could not resist the temptation to make a bad pun. “She is certainly a vicious-looking brute.” At this moment Baynes, who was some little distance away, spoke osten- sibly to. the ostler by whose side he was standing, but evidently with the intention that his words should be heard by every one present. “Pretty fellows to go out for a ride!” he exclaimed in a sneering man- ner, “They are afraid to mount the mare because she happens to be a little bit skittish.” “T must show them that I am not afraid,” whispered Frank. ‘Keep her steady a moment, my man.” During a momentary pause in the antics her ladyship had been indulging in, Egerton lightly vaulted into the saddle. “Let go!” he shouted, to the groom, | at the same time 85 gathering up the reins. The groom instantly released his hold of the bridle, and Brown Bess commenced a series of the most extra» ordinary kicks and leaps. Frank kept his seat well, and. soon convinced the mad animal that he was not to be trifled with. After riding her two or three times round the yard, she became tolerably quiet, and then Freddy, who was mounted on a very quiet and rather ancient steed, led the way out into the street. A restless twitching of the ears convinced the rider of Brown Bess that she would require very careful riding. Two or three streets were traversed safely, and Frank began to fancy that the animal was not quite so mad as was generally believed. The market-place was at length reached, A drove of pigs being conducted to the slaughter-house (the market was nearly over) attracted the mare’s at~ tention; but she showed no signs of fear till one of them, having felt the lash of the drover’s whip, set up a loud squealing. Brown Bess immediately managed to get the bit between her teeth, and began to leap over the railings which divided the various cattle pens in the market-place. | : The few people about hastily got out of the way, and Frank, finding he could not control the mare, began to think of throwing himself off. But the flagstones with which the market-place was paved looked so hard and uninviting that he resisted the temptation. | ‘What can the beast mean to do ?” thought Frank, as Brown Bess made straight for the open portals of the town-hall which graced one side of the market-place, while Freddy, on his Rosinante, yelled to the people to help to stop it. The intention of the animal was soon evident. DOO EO (S(O) mn