242 WOLF-HUNTING. 



CHAPTER XXL 



HAVING sojourned, as already stated, for two seasons in the least- 

 frequented and remotest towns of Lower Brittany, mainly for the 

 sake of the wild sport obtainable in that country, my acquaintance 

 with the hotels, of which there is at least one more pretentious 

 than the rest in every small town, became almost as extensive as 

 that of any Commis-voyagcur, hailing from Brest or some other 

 neighbouring seaport. At M. Thomas' I had frequently halted 

 for the night ; and, well knowing the extent of his bed-room 

 accommodation, it puzzled me not a little to imagine how he 

 could possibly contrive to stow us all comfortably away, as 

 St. Prix declared he was able to do, within the limits of his 

 narrow domain. Besides our own party, consisting of Keryfan, 

 Shafto, the Louvetier, and myself, four other gentlemen had 

 joined us, not one of whom had the slightest intention of 

 returning to his home till ,the hounds were taken back to their 

 kennels near Morlaix. Three bed-apartments comprised the 

 total amount of stowage-room available for night guests ; and 

 although a couple of small bedsteads, the furniture of which 

 was clean and white as the driven snow, stood confronting one 

 another in each chamber, two more were still wanting to supply 

 the needful accommodation for all the party. 



While this difficulty was under discussion, M. Thomas stepped 

 forward and proposed a solution of it that, at all events, did 



