MR. RALPH ETWALL 185 



An amusing account can be given of his purchase of 

 two greyhounds. *A friend of my brother John's had 

 two to dispose of, and said he would willingly give a trial 

 beforehand. So a day was fixed to suit Mr. Etwall, and 

 the place Danebury. Before the dogs were put in the 

 slips Mr. Etwall asked : 



' Have they ever seen a hare ?' 



'Yes,' was the curt reply 'twenty-four, and killed 

 them all without a miss.' 



This was being asked to swallow too much ! In fact, 

 the effect of the confident statement was so great that 

 the dogs would have been returned untried had not my 

 brother John said : * 



'Try one, anyhow.' 



' Yes,' replied the owner, ' and put your best dog with 

 him, or he won't see which way mine goes.' 



The suggestion was complied with ; a hare was started, 

 the dogs slipped, and, after a long course, the stranger's 

 dog killed his hare, just entering the rings one hundred 

 yards in front of Mr. Etwall's dog. The surprise of the 

 latter gentleman may be more readily imagined than de- 

 scribed. But, recovering himself, he volunteered to have 

 a trial with the stranger's other dog, asking the owner 

 which he thought the best of the two. 



' There's no difference/ was the answer. ' Sometimes 

 one kills and sometimes the other.' Then the man 

 added, in absolute seriousness, ' Now do put your best 

 dog with him this time,' a request Mr. Etwall was not at 

 all slow to comply with. For this second course a good 

 hare was started in a capital place; and, after a long 

 slip, Mr. Etwall's ' best ' dog did not gain a point, and 

 the other killed single-handed in splendid style, never 

 giving the hare a chance. 



At this result Mr. Etwall was even more astounded 



