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634 THE ADVENTURES OP PHILIP
come to the house. If Woolcomb would stay in the place, and we
could have the election next year, I think your man might win.
But, as it is, he may as well give in, and spare the expense of a
poll." Meanwhile Hornblow was very confident. We believe what
we wish to believe. It is marvellous what faith an enthusiastic
electioneering agent can inspire in his client. At any rate, if Hornblow
did not win this time, he would at the next election. The old
Ringwood domination in Whipham was gone henceforth for ever.
When the day of election arrived, you may be sure we came
over from Periwinkle Bay to see the battle. By this time Philip
had grown so enthusiastic in Hornblow's cause—(Philip, by the
way, never would allow the possibility of a defeat)—that he had
his children decked in the Hornblow ribbons, and drove from the
Bay wearing a cockade as large as a pancake. He, I, and Ridley
the painter, went together in a dog-cart. We were hopeful, though
we knew the enemy was strong ; and cheerful, though, ere we had
driven five miles, the rain began to fall.
Philip was very anxious about a certain great roll of paper
which we carried with us. When I asked him what it contained,
he said it was a gun; which was absurd. Ridley smiled in his
silent way. When the rain came, Philip cast a cloak over his
artillery, and sheltered his powder. We little guessed at the time
what strange game his shot would bring down.
When we reached Whipham, the polling had continued for
some hours. The confounded black miscreant, as Philip called his
cousin's husband, was at the head of the poll, and with every hour
his majority increased. The free and independent electors did not
seem to be in the least influenced by Philip's articles in the county
paper, or by the placards which our side had pasted over the little
town, and in which freemen were called upon to do their duty, to
support a fine old English gentleman, to submit to no Castle nominee,
and so forth. The pressure of the Ringwood steward and bailiffs
was too strong. However much they disliked the black man,
tradesman after tradesman, and tenant after tenant, came up to
vote for him. Our drums and trumpets at the " Ram " blew loud
defiance to the brass band at the " Ringwood Arms." From our
balcony, I flatter myself, we made much finer speeches than the
Ringwood people could deliver. Hornblow was a popular man in
the county. When he came forward to speak, the market-place
echoed with applause. The farmers and small tradesmen touched
their hats to him kindly, but slunk off sadly to the polling-booth,
and voted according to order. A fine, healthy, handsome, redcheeked
squire, our champion's personal appearance enlisted all the
ladies in his favour.