THE BADGER 



ground, no matter after how long or fast a run, 

 the question, " Where is Twig ? " was never 

 asked twice. Always there when wanted, 

 always dependable and perfect at his work, 

 he shifted many a sulky fox that went to 

 ground. Then Will Nicholl went to the 

 Hurworth under Sir Reginald Graham, and 

 took Twig with him. He did two seasons in 

 the Hurworth country, from thence going to 

 the Burton with Nicholl again. After a 

 season there I had a letter saying that 

 Nicholl feared that the old dog would not 

 follow hounds another season, and he sent 

 him back with me. I summered him well ; 

 he did the next season with the Cleveland, 

 and came out the following season when 

 hounds were handy or when occasion re- 

 quired, making eight seasons with foxhounds, 

 besides being hunted at badger in the summer 

 months. He had learnt not to be hard on a 

 fox, but I thought I detected him in an act 

 of violence something more than a year ago. 

 We had run to ground in a drain, and Twig, 

 who had heard hounds, had come across 



country as fast as his old legs would carry 

 108 



