Hard Cash

alf reclining, with their parasols up, in an open carriage

er the dark vaults, then glistened on again crookedly to the spot where sat its two fairest visitors that day; but at that very point flung off its serpentine habits, and shot straight away in a broad stream of scintillating water a mile long, dow

dge, but above the bend where Mrs. Dodd and Julia sat, unruffled by the racing, and enjoying luxuriously the glorious stream, the mellow bridge crowded with carriages-whose fair

the opposite bank, and the gardens at the back of our fair friends, flung their sweet fresh odours at their liquid benefactor gliding by; and

of youth, beauty, stature, agility, gaiety, and good temper, the two great universities had poured out upon those obscure banks; all dressed in neat but easy-fitting clothes, cut in the height of' the fashion;

ecame all in a moment a most interesting pastime-an appendage to Loving. He left to join his crew. And, soon after, the Exeter glided down the river before their eyes, with the beloved one rowing quietly in it: his jersey revealed not only the working power of his arms, as sunburnt below the elbow as a gipsy's, and as corded above as a blacksmith's, b

fine crew in broad-striped jerseys. "Oh, dear" said Julia, "they are odious and s

ccessible, the race had to be decided by two

wo whitish streaks on the water, one on each side the little fairy isle, and a great black patch on the Berkshire bank. The threatening streaks were the two racing boats: the black patch was about a hundred Cambridge and Oxford men, ready to run and hallo with the boats all the way, or at least till the last puff of wind should be run plus halloed out of their young bodies. Others less fleet a

long uneas

treak; and the black patch was moving; so were the threatening streaks. Presently was heard a faint, continuous, distant mu

the river. Groups hung craning

rs they picked up; so were their voices; and

ous stroke. The boats leaped and darted side by side, and, looking at them in front, Julia could not say which was ahead. On they came nearer and nearer, with hundreds of voices vociferating "Go it, Cambridge" "Well pulled, Oxford

said she, clasping her hands and colouring high, "wou

stroke so boldly they seemed flying out of the boats, and surging back as superbly, an eightfold human wave: their nostrils all open, the lips of some pale and glutinous their white teeth all clenched grimly, their young eyes all glowing, their supple bodies swelling, the muscles writhing beneath their jerseys, and the sinews starting on

Cambridge spurted desperately in turn, and stole those few feet back; and so they went fighting every inch of water. Bang! A cannon on the bank sent its smoke over both com

ce was

arty could not see, a

I say, they are properly pumped, both crews are:" then, jumping on to a spoke of her carri

s. She fluttered, and wanted to go to her boy and nurse him, and turned two most imploring eyes

would not be proper. See, all the ladies remain apart." So

orld still, or in their zeal had pulled into a better. But their malady was not a rare one in racing boats, and the remedy always at hand: it combined the rival systems; Thames was sprinkled in their faces-Homoeopathy

s in his pockets, and a cigar in his mouth, placidly unconscious of their solicitude on his account. He was received with a little gutt

Cambr

Why, then yo

er."

igar, owning defeat, and puffing tranquillity, with t

een a capital race, the closest ever known on

" observed Mrs. Dodd composedly; then, with heartfelt

, I am glad neither of your equanimities is

nd an animated discussion took place. They began with asking him how it had happened, and, as he never spoke in a hurry, supplied him with the answers. A stretcher had broken in the Exeter? No, but the Cambridge was a much better bui

e real truth," said he, "

r the young man's tone was that of c

pulled faster tha

stared and t

tcher or two told, but I saw none broken. (Puff.) Their boat is the worst I ever saw; it dips every stroke. (Puff.) Their strength lies in the crew. It was a good race and a f

however, that Stroke did not take the matter so coolly

ick!" squeaked a

idn't quite shed it; his

ut it by for supper, sugg

had a gulp or two, and swal

can swallow anythin

's own set. "Dodd doesn't know him as we

a little, it was very excusable; after such great exertions it was disappointing, mor

where, was her L

university was in a manner beaten, and he took the blame. He never cried; that was a cracker of those fellows. But he did give one great sob, that was all, a

o console him, Edward?"

y senior, and my St

d but one good race, a sharp contest between a Cambridge man and Hardie, ending in favour of the latter; the Londoner walked away from his opponent Sir Imperturbable's competitor was impetuous, and ran into him in the first hund

lower than the other, we may shine yet

g her hose; the London craft, under a heavy crew, floated like a cork. The Londoners soon found out their advantage, and, overrating it, steered into their opponents water prematurely, inn spite of a warning voice from the bank. Cambridge saw, and cracked on for a foul; and for about a minute it

aspiration being, first to beat off all the extern

to him. He ran his eye over it, and threw it open into his sister's lap. The ladies read

for the lead at starting, I hear; so I mean to work him out of wind; then you can wait on us, and pick up the race. M

ED HA

figurative; but she hoped Edward might be suc

e is not always to the slowest and the deares

fever for nearly ten minutes. At last, near the opposite bank, up came the two leading skiffs struggling,

ad got left. As line passed his mother and sister, his eyes seemed to strike fire, and he laid out all his powers, and went at the leading skiffs hand over head There was a yell of astonishment and delight from both sides of the Thames. He passed Hardie, who upon that relaxed his speed. In thirty seconds more he was even with Silcock. The

e little silver sculls, and

ould be, but for their fears that he would hurt himself, beating gentlemen ever

ardie wants

you be at Mr. Hardie's beck and call? I never heard

about," replied Edward: "I shall be back directly."

ted quarter. A tall young man in a jersey and flannel trousers, and a little straw hat, with a purple rosette, came away from the bustle to the more secluded part where they sat, and made eagerly for the Thames as if he was a duck, and going in. But at t

ed, too, that the afflicted one was a personage: for line had not sat there long when quite a little band of men came after him. Observing his semi-circularity and general condition, they hesitated a moment; and then one of them

ay?" was the answer, delivered

we

y on them, and then groaned by way of half apology. Ano

with pain, have no right to demand civility," repl

all this

he boat, and came here among the natives, fo

ch Mrs. Dodd replied by a smile. And so they s

has awful headaches, like a girl, and then he always shuts up this

e," said he. "Mr. Hardie, I have not the honour to be acquainted with you, and I am not here to annoy you, nor to be affront

nquired Hardie, assuming p

m, of

may possibly not be a fool. Let us assume by way of hypothesis that you are a man of sense, a man of reason as

he, Hardie of Exeter is n

xeter has a

aid Hardie into a race, headache and

, nor an ass, have taken Hardie of Exeter and his headach

e best man on the river

ving brains enough to see what it gains by the exchange, turns again and rends me, like

empted a diabolical grin, but fai

nswer to the un

if Badham o' Wadham thinks to crush me auctoritate sua et totius universitatis, Badham o' Wadham may just tell the wh

o the Thames." And with this comment they left him to his ill temper. One remained; sat quietly down a littl

n, and quite unconscious that sacred pity was poisoning the air beside

lloquy. They had terribly quick ears and nothing better to

e would have been more at her ease with him. Moreover, his rudeness to the other men repelled her a little. Above all, he had uttered a monosyllable and a stinger: a thorn of speech not in her vocabulary, nor

and nonsensically, about half a split straw, one of the racing four-oars we

faint voice. "Now, that is like a friend, a real friend

wn in mid-stream, and Hardie eyed it keenly as it passed. "There," he cried, "was I wrong? There

the lauded Stroke of the

ls. We must fight for the lead at starting, an

ard's reply came ringing back in a clear, c

s?" inquired the

one against Cambridge; t

and lay it on," s

een pounds at the end of term. I'll get the odds up at the bri

istance, one of whom was holding him out three pretty little things enough, a little smile, a little b

k was a good deal tanned; his eyelids were rather swollen, and his young eyes troubled and almost filmy with the pain. The ladies saw, and their gentle bosoms were touched: they had he

d so were her two lovely earnest eyes, beaming soft pity on him with an eloquence he had neve

ir commands. This sudden contrast to his petulance with his own sex paved the wa

her in a

red Julia, "ought h

r sit there, sir, and profit

ow the real place where

say that," implo

everity, "And that is where he would

Mrs. Dodd, somewhat coldly, dwelling with a ve

rew in perceptibly, and w

our kindness in noticing my infernal head, and doing me the honour to speak to me, and lending me this. But if I go to bed, my head

we know what a severe headache is, and should be glad to see you

a lamb. He glanced now and then at the island, and now

s for his evening work. With what view he deviated to Henley has not yet been ascertained. He was blind as a bat, and did not care a button about any earthly boat-race, except the one in the AEneid, even if he could have seen one. However, nearly all the men of his college went to

Nothing wro

s all," said Kennet, affecting with withe

ghtened me! I was afraid there wa

e that was drawn up ashore, and sprang like a mountain goat on to the bow, lighting on the very gunwale. The position was not tenable an instant, but he extended one foot very nimbly and boldly, and planted it on the other gunwale; and there he was in a moment, he

exciting to our fair friends, on account of Edward's high stake in it. And then their grateful though refractory patient, an authority in their

e was off

not m

race at pre

e may win. None of th

urite is not so

dge loo

hange with ei

more, I shall be able t

ey were all so tuned to racing pitch, that some metal nerve or other seemed to jar

construe [

chat ceased. Hardie raised his opera-glass, and his first impulse was to brain the judicious Kennet, gaz

'? you incongruous dog. Hold y

now? The Cockneys are out of this event, any wa

asked Julia imploringly.

if Cambridge can't lead him before this turn in the river,

, that seemed as if it never could compete with the quick action of it

! Splendidly pulled, Dodd! You are walking away from them altogether. Hurrah, Oxford for ever, hurrah!" The gun

d Julia, all on fire, "and

with his university. "Yes, and the fools may thank

iling around her, and her soft eyes sparkled, and she returned the fervid pressure of he

h a voice just like a saw's. "Dodd? Ah, tha

its thun