many　a　tournament　and　feat　of　Norman　chivalry；　but　now　much　used　as
  a　show…place　for　cattle；　where　those　who　buy　and　sell　beeves　and
  other　beasts　resort　at　stated　periods。
  So　it　came　to　pass　that　I　stood　upon　this　hill；　observing　a　fair　of
  horses。
  The　reader　is　already　aware　that　I　had　long　since　conceived　a
  passion　for　the　equine　race；　a　passion　in　which　circumstances　had
  of　late　not　permitted　me　to　indulge。　　I　had　no　horses　to　ride；　but
  I　took　pleasure　in　looking　at　them；　and　I　had　already　attended　more
  than　one　of　these　fairs：　　the　present　was　lively　enough；　indeed
  horse　fairs　are　seldom　dull。　　There　was　shouting　and　whooping；
  neighing　and　braying；　there　was　galloping　and　trotting；　fellows
  with　highlows　and　white　stockings；　and　with　many　a　string　dangling
  from　the　knees　of　their　tight　breeches；　were　running　desperately；
  holding　horses　by　the　halter；　and　in　some　cases　dragging　them
  along；　there　were　long…tailed　steeds　and　dock…tailed　steeds　of
  every　degree　and　breed；　there　were　droves　of　wild　ponies；　and　long
  rows　of　sober　cart　horses；　there　were　donkeys；　and　even　mules：　　the
  last　rare　things　to　be　seen　in　damp；　misty　England；　for　the　mule
  pines　in　mud　and　rain；　and　thrives　best　with　a　hot　sun　above　and　a
  burning　sand　below。　　There　were　…　oh；　the　gallant　creatures！　　I
  hear　their　neigh　upon　the　wind；　there　were　…　goodliest　sight　of　all
  …　certain　enormous　quadrupeds　only　seen　to　perfection　in　our　native
  isle；　led　about　by　dapper　grooms；　their　manes　ribanded　and　their
  tails　curiously　clubbed　and　balled。　　Ha！　ha！　…　how　distinctly　do
  they　say；　ha！　ha！
  An　old　man　draws　nigh；　he　is　mounted　on　a　lean　pony；　and　he　leads
  by　the　bridle　one　of　these　animals；　nothing　very　remarkable　about
  that　creature；　unless　in　being　smaller　than　the　rest　and　gentle；
  which　they　are　not；　he　is　not　of　the　sightliest　look；　he　is　almost
  dun；　and　over　one　eye　a　thick　film　has　gathered。　　But　stay！　there
  IS　something　remarkable　about　that　horse；　there　is　something　in　his
  action　in　which　he　differs　from　all　the　rest：　　as　he　advances；　the
  clamour　is　hushed！　all　eyes　are　turned　upon　him　…　what　looks　of
  interest　…　of　respect　…　and；　what　is　this？　people　are　taking　off
  their　hats　…　surely　not　to　that　steed！　　Yes；　verily！　men；
  especially　old　men；　are　taking　off　their　hats　to　that　one…eyed
  steed；　and　I　hear　more　than　one　deep…drawn　ah！
  'What　horse　is　that？'　said　I　to　a　very　old　fellow；　the　counterpart
  of　the　old　man　on　the　pony；　save　that　the　last　wore　a　faded　suit　of
  velveteen；　and　this　one　was　dressed　in　a　white　frock。
  'The　best　in　mother　England；'　said　the　very　old　man；　taking　a
  knobbed　stick　from　his　mouth；　and　looking　me　in　the　face；　at　first
  carelessly；　but　presently　with　something　like　interest；　'he　is　old
  like　myself；　but　can　still　trot　his　twenty　miles　an　hour。　　You
  won't　live　long；　my　swain；　tall　and　over…grown　ones　like　thee　never
  does；　yet；　if　you　should　chance　to　reach　my　years；　you　may　boast　to
  thy　great…grand…boys　thou　hast　seen　Marshland　Shales。'
  Amain　I　did　for　the　horse　what　I　would　neither　do　for　earl　nor
  baron；　doffed　my　hat；　yes！　I　doffed　my　hat　to　the　wondrous　horse；
  the　fast　trotter；　the　best　in　mother　England；　and　I　too　drew　a　deep
  ah！　and　repeated　the　words　of　the　old　fellows　around。　　'Such　a
  horse　as　this　we　shall　never　see　again；　a　pity　that　he　is　so　old。'
  Now　during　all　this　time　I　had　a　kind　of　consciousness　that　I　had
  been　the　object　of　some　person's　observation；　that　eyes　were
  fastened　upon　me　from　somewhere　in　the　crowd。　　Sometimes　I　thought
  myself　watched　from　before；　sometimes　from　behind；　and　occasionally
  methought　that；　if　I　just　turned　my　head　to　the　right　or　left；　I
  should　meet　a　peering　and　inquiring　glance；　and　indeed　once　or
  twice　I　did　turn；　expecting　to　see　somebody　whom　I　knew；　yet　always
  without　success；　though　it　appeared　to　me　that　I　was　but　a　moment
  too　late；　and　that　some　one　had　just　slipped　away　from　the
  direction　to　which　I　turned；　like　the　figure　in　a　magic　lanthorn。
  Once　I　was　quite　sure　that　there　were　a　pair　of　eyes　glaring　over
  my　right　shoulder；　my　attention；　however；　was　so　fully　occupied
  with　the　objects　which　I　have　attempted　to　describe；　that　I　thought
  very　little　of　this　coming　and　going；　this　flitting　and　dodging　of
  I　knew　not　whom　or　what。　　It　was；　after　all；　a　matter　of　sheer
  indifference　to　me　who　was　looking　at　me。　　I　could　only　wish
  whomsoever　it　might　be　to　be　more　profitably　employed；　so　I
  continued　enjoying　what　I　saw；　and　now　there　was　a　change　in　the
  scene；　the　wondrous　old　horse　departed　with　his　aged　guardian；
  other　objects　of　interest　are　at　hand；　two　or　three　men　on
  horseback　are　hurrying　through　the　crowd；　they　are　widely　different
  in　their　appearance　from　the　other　people　of　the　fair；　not　so　much
  in　dress；　for　they　are　clad　something　after　the　fashion　of　rustic
  jockeys；　but　in　their　look　…　no　light…brown　hair　have　they；　no
  ruddy　cheeks；　no　blue　quiet　glances　belong　to　them；　their　features
  are　dark；　their　locks　long；　black；　and　shining；　and　their　eyes　are
  wild；　they　are　admirable　horsemen；　but　they　do　not　sit　the　saddle
  in　the　manner　of　common　jockeys；　they　seem　to　float　or　hover　upon
  it；　like　gulls　upon　the　waves；　two　of　them　are　mere　striplings；　but
  the　third　is　a　very　tall　man　with　a　countenance　heroically
  beautiful；　but　wild；　wild；　wild。　　As　they　rush　along；　the　crowd
  give　way　on　all　sides；　and　now　a　kind　of　ring　or　circus　is　formed；
  within　which　the　strange　men　exhibit　their　horsemanship；　rushing
  past　each　other；　in　and　out；　after　the　manner　of　a　reel；　the　tall
  man　occasionally　balancing　himself　upon　the　saddle；　and　standing
  erect　on　one　foot。　　He　had　just　regained　his　seat　after　the　latter
  feat；　and　was　about　to　push　his　horse　to　a　gallop；　when　a　figure
  started　forward　close　from　beside　me；　and　laying　his　hand　on　his
  neck；　and　pulling　him　gently　downward；　appeared　to　whisper
  something　into　his　ear；　presently　the　tall　man　raised　his　head；
  and；　scanning　the　crowd　for　a　moment　in　the　direction　in　which　I
  was　standing；　fixed　his　eyes　full　upon　me；　and　anon　the　countenance
  of　the　whisperer　was　turned；　but　only　in　part；　and　the　side…glance
  of　another　pair　of　wild　eyes　was　directed　towards　my　face；　but　the
  entire　visage　of　the　big　black　man；　half　stooping　as　he　was；　was
  turned　full　upon　mine。
  But　now；　with　a　nod　to　the　figure　who　had　stopped　him；　and　with
  another　inquiring　glance　at　myself；　the　big　man　once　more　put　his
  steed　into　motion；　and；　after　riding　round　the　ring　a　few　more
  times；　darted　through　a　lane　in　the　crowd；　and　followed　by　his　two
  companions　disappeared；　whereupon　the　figure　who　had　whispered　to
  him；　and　had　subsequently　remained　in　the　middle　of　the　space；　came
  towards　me；　and；　cracking　a　whip　which　he　held　in　his　hand　so
  loudly　that　the　report　was　nearly　equal　to　that　of　a　pocket　pistol；
  he　cried　in　a　strange　tone：
  'What！　the　sap…engro？　　Lor！　the　sap…engro　upon　the　hill！'
  'I　remember　that　word；'　said　I；　'and　I　almost　think　I　remember　you。
  You　can't　be　…　'
  'Jasper；　your　pal！　　Truth；　and　no　lie；　brother。'
  'It　is　strange　that　you　should　have　known　me；'　said　I。　　'I　am
  certain；　but　for　the　word　you　used；　I　should　never　have　recognised
  you。'
  'Not　so　strange　as　you　may　think；　brother；　there　is　something　in
  your　face　which　would　prevent　people　from　forgetting　you；　even
  though　they　might　wish　it；　and　your　face　is　not　much　altered　since
  the　time　you　wot　of；　though　you　are　so　much　grown。　　I　thought　it
  was　you；　but　to　make　sure　I　dodged　about；　inspecting　you。　　I
  believe　you　felt　me；　though　I　never　touched　you；　a　sign；　brother；
  that　we　are　akin；　that　we　are　dui　palor　…　two　relations。　　Your
  blood　beat　when　mine　was　near；　as　mine　always　does　at　the　coming　of
  a　brother；　and　we　became　brothers　in　that　lane。'
  'And　where　are　you　staying？'　said　I；　'in　this　town？'
  'Not　in　the　town；　the　like　of　us　don't　find　it　exactly　wholesome　to
  stay　in　towns；　we　keep　abroad。　　But　I　have　little　to　do　here　…　come
  with　me；　and　I'll　show　you　where　we　stay。'
  We　descended　the　hill　in　the　direction　of　the　north；　and　passing
  along　the　suburb　reached　the　old　Norman　bridge；　which　we　crossed；
  the　chalk　precipice；　with　the　ruin　on　its　top；　was　now　before　us；
  but　turning　to　the　left　we　walked　swiftly　along；　and　presently　came
  to　some　rising　ground；　which　ascending；　we　found　ourselves　upon　a
  wild　moor　or　heath。
  'You　are　one　of　them；'　said　I；　'whom　people　call　…　'
  'Just　so；'　said　Jasper；　'but　never　mind　what　people　call　us。'
  'And　that　tall　handsome　man　on　the　hill；　whom　you　whispered？　　I
  suppose　he's　one　of　ye。　　What　is　his　name？'
  'Tawno　Chikno；'　said　Jasper；　'which　means　the　small　one；　we　call
  him　such　because　he　is　the　biggest　man　of　all　our　nation。　　You　say
  he　is　handsome；　that　is　not　the　word；　brother；　he's　the　beaut