Mr. Fortescue; him as has taken Kingscote."

Kingscote was a country-house of no extraordinary size, but with so large
a park and gardens, conservatories and stables so extensive as to render
its keeping up very costly; and the owner or mortgagee, I know not which,
had for several years been vainly trying to let it at a nominal rent.

"He must be rich, then. Kingscote will want a lot of keeping up."

"Rich is not the word, sir. He has more money than he knows what to do
with. Why, he has twenty horses now, and is building loose-boxes for ten
more, and he won't look at one under a hundred pounds. Rawlings has got a
fine place, he has that."

"I am surprised he should have left the kennels, though. He loses his
chance of ever becoming huntsman."

"He is as good as that now, sir. He had a present of fifty pounds to start
with, gets as many shillings a week and all found, and has the entire
management of the stables, and with a gentleman like Mr. Fortescue
there'll be some nice pickings."

"Very likely. But why does Mr. Fortescue want a pilot? He rides well, and
his horses seem to know their business."

"He won't have any as doesn't. Yes, he rides uncommon well for an aged
man, does Mr. Fortescue. I suppose he wants somebody to show him the way
and keep him from getting ridden over. It isn't nice to get ridden over
when you're getting into years."