POMPONIUS EGO 



in 'unting There's nothin' so difficult to ride 

 as an "if." If we find a fox, then there's the 

 difficulty of gettin' well away with him ; or if we 

 do get well away, then there 's the chance of his 

 bein' 'eaded back, or of there bein' no scent, or 

 of his takin' a bad line, or of his bein' chased 

 by a cur, or of his gainin' an earth we don't 

 know of, or of a great banging 'are misleadin' 

 the 'ounds, or of the fox beatin' us disgracefully 

 at the far end these things are dreadful to the 

 anxious mind of an M.F.H. at all times, but 'orrible, 

 most 'orrible, at a time like the prisent.' 



' Dinna fear,' replied Pigg, * dinna fear you '11 

 see he'll be nowt but mortal man after all. If 

 you want to kill a fox, gan to big wood, and 

 have somebody there with black bitch.' 



* Black bitch,' said Mr. Jorrocks thoughtfully, 

 1 black bitch Wot should we want with black 

 bitch when we have all the 'ounds out ? ' 



* Hout, thou fondy ! ' said Pigg, ' doesn't thou 

 ken what black bitch is ? ' 



' No I doesn't unless it 's a dog's wife.' 



133 



