The Life of a Great Sportsman 



field we liked to know we had gone well in the opinion of 

 others, and he was evidently pleased and expectant as to who 

 had remarked upon his prowess. " Who told you that ? " he 

 said. 



" I saw it in a book," returned his tormentor. 



Then we, in the know that such a journal existed, knew 

 that he had looked in Lord Melgund's hunting journal, no 

 doubt left carelessly about. Poor Lord Melgund got very red 

 and looked confused, and Maunsell's face was not pleasant to 

 behold, but luckily the presence of strangers prevented any 

 serious row. It was a very near thing, however, and matters 

 were for a time thundery and we of the outside were glad when 

 conversation flowed along as before. 



There was, however, one kind of chaff Lord Melgund could 

 never stand, even from Maunsell, and that was being accused 

 of telling a fib. Then the vials of his wrath were poured 

 forth and the bear-fighting was tremendous, and righteously so, 

 but I must say I seldom knew my brother to venture on such 

 thin ice, unless he happened to be in a very bad temper indeed, 

 which was not often the case. 



When I was in Limber last summer I heard a good story 

 of how Lord Minto and Maunsell strolled down to the village 

 one day, when they had nothing better to do save to seek 

 amusement, which they were always certain to find at the 

 Marris's of the bottom house. " Little Man," as the owner was 

 always called, conducted them to his Piggery and offered my 

 brother Maunsell a sturdy young pig of an exceptionally large 

 litter, of an age vigorous enough to prove most difficult for 

 any one to handle, provided he would carry it up the village 

 to our house, three-quarters of a mile away. 



Relying on his friend Mr. " Roily " to help him, or on his 

 own power to induce him to do so, Maunsell accepted this 



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