THE 'CAT AND CUSTAKD-POT' DAY 



and jagged Arterxerxes now vowing that he 

 would send him to the tanners when he got 

 'ome now that he would have him in the boiler 

 afore night. He was very much out of sorts with 

 himself and everybody else even the hounds 

 didn't please him always getting in his way, 

 hanging back looking for James Pigg, and Ben 

 had fine fun cutting and flopping them forrard. 



Charley, like a wise man, kept aloof. 



In this unamiable mood our master progressed, 

 until the horrible apparition of a great white turn- 

 pike-gate, staring out from the gable end of a 

 brick toll-house, startled his vision and caused 

 him to turn short up a wide green lane to the 

 left. 'Take care o' the pence and the punds 'ill 

 take care o' theirsels,' muttered our master to 

 himself, now sensible that he had mistaken his 

 road, and looking around for some landmark to 

 steer by. Just as he was identifying White 

 Choker Church in the distance, a sudden some- 

 thing shot through the body of the late loitering 

 indifferent hounds, apparently influencing them 



75 



