Elated by the victory he had obtained over Flint, and anticipating a successful issue to the expedition, Master Potts was in excellent spirits, and found a great deal to admire in the domain of his honoured and singular good client.  Though not very genuine, his admiration was deservedly bestowed.  The portion of the park they were now traversing was extremely diversified and beautiful, with long sweeping lawns studded with fine trees, among which were many ancient thorns, now in full bloom, and richly scenting the gale.  Herds of deer were nipping the short grass, browsing the lower spray of the ashes, or couching amid the ferny hollows.

It was now that Nicholas, who had been all along anxious to try the speed of his horse, proposed to Richard a gallop towards a clump of trees about a mile off, and the young man assenting, away they started.  Master Potts started too, for Flint did not like to be left behind, but the mettlesome pony was soon distanced.  For some time the two horses kept so closely together, that it was difficult to say which would arrive at the goal first; but, by-and-by, Robin got a-head.  Though at first indifferent to the issue of the race, the spirit of emulation soon seized upon Richard, and spurring Merlin, the noble animal sprang forward, and was once again by the side of his opponent.

For a quarter of a mile the ground had been tolerably level, and the sod firm; but they now approached a swamp, and, in his eagerness, Nicholas did not take sufficient precaution, and got involved in it before he was aware.  Richard was more fortunate, having kept on the right, where the ground was hard.  Seeing Nicholas struggling out of the marshy soil, he would have stayed for him; but the latter bade him go on, saying he would soon be up with him, and he made good his words.  Shortly after this their course was intercepted by a brook, and both horses having cleared it excellently, they kept well together again for a short time, when they neared a deep dyke which lay between them and the clump of trees.  On descrying it, Richard pointed out a course to the left, but Nicholas held on, unheeding the caution.  Fully expecting to see him break his neck, for the dyke was of formidable width, Richard watched him with apprehension, but the squire gave him a re-assuring nod, and went on.  Neither horse nor man faltered, though failure would have been certain destruction to both.  The wide trench now yawned before them—­they were upon its edge, and without trusting himself to measure it with his eye, Nicholas clapped spurs into Robin’s sides.  The brave horse sprang forward and landed him safely on the opposite bank.  Hallooing cheerily, as soon as he could check his courser the squire wheeled round, and rode back to look at the dyke he had crossed.  Its width was terrific, and fairly astounded him.  Robin snorted loudly, as if proud of his achievement, and showed some disposition to return, but the squire was quite content with what he had done.  The exploit afterwards became a theme of wonder throughout the country, and the spot was long afterwards pointed out as “Squire Nicholas’s Leap”; but there was not another horseman found daring enough to repeat the experiment.