CHAPTER XII 



THE GROOM continued 



HE sagacity both of 

 hounds and horses in 

 the matter of hunting 

 is truly astonishing, and 

 we hardly know to 

 - which to yield the 

 , preference. It is an 

 undoubted fact that 

 many of what are called 

 trencher - fed hounds, 

 learn to know the hunt- 

 ing days, and will sit 



at the doors listening for the summoning horn, or 

 travel to the usual place of meeting by themselves. 

 An old hunter knows just as well as his Groom the 

 preparations that indicate the coming chase, and is 

 as delighted as ever he can be. Shortening the 

 supply of water is one of the usual concomitants, but 

 if a horse was left to himself, he would never drink 

 more than he ought. We mean if he was left to his 

 own discretion entirely, with a constant supply of 

 water within reach. Of course when he only gets it 

 at stated intervals, and then oftentimes less than he 

 would like, he acquires a greedy sort of swallow, that 

 hurries it down as quickly as possible, as he does not 



143 



