THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 6i 



to him and the fox in half an hour ; but, to 

 his master's great grief, the poor old dog was 

 quite dead. 



Russell looked upon his terriers as his fire- 

 side friends — the penates of his home ; nor was 

 he ever happier than when to some congenial 

 spirit he was recording the service they had 

 done him in bygone days ; and vast indeed was 

 the store from which he drew so many interest- 

 ing facts connected with their history. 



One peculiarity of Tip's, however, must not 

 be omitted : on a hunting morning no man on 

 earth could catch him, after he had once seen 

 Russell with his top-boots on. 



Nettle, too, a prodigy of courage and sagacity, 

 would follow no one but her master ; and not 

 even him, except the hounds were at his heels ; 

 knowing full well that her services were only 

 required in connection with the hunting-field. 



Then there was the one-eyed Nelson, a 

 genius in his way ; and in point of valour, a 

 worthy namesake of England's immortal hero. 

 Russell had run a fox to ground near Tetcott, 

 the seat of Sir William Molesworth ; but tiers 

 of passages, one under the other, rendered the 

 earth so perfect a honeycomb that the terriers 

 were soon puzzled, nor did the diggers know 

 what line to follow ; there was scent everywhere. 

 Nelson at length came out, and at some dis- 

 tance off commenced digging eagerly at the 



