Tom Tootler. 25 



must tell you, sir, before I goes on with my story, that my 



lord and Mr. , my master, were not at all on friendly 



terms — quite the contrary, in fact — though I never rightly 

 made out the reason why. Anyhow, there is no doubt 

 about it, they both hated the very sight of one another. 

 To make matters more confusing, we happened, at the 

 very moment of the two packs clashing, to be on Mr. 



's own land. Hup comes my lord, boiling over with 



rage — he'd a hawful temper, sir, when roused. 



" ' Stop your d d hounds, sir ! Stop 'em, I say, 



directly, do you hear ? ' he shouted to Mr (for old 



Bountiful had just hit the scent off again, and we were on 

 the move). 



" ' Stop my hounds, on my own land! ' almost screamed 

 my master in reply. "■ Why, what do you mean, you red- 

 topped old wagabone, you?' ( My lord has reddish hair : you 

 know, sir.) ' What next, indeed ? I never heard of such 

 impudence in all my born days ! ' Well, sir, at it they 

 went, 'ammer and tongs, slanging of each other like a 

 couple of bargees ; such hawful language I don't think 

 I ever did hear, and all the gentlemen, sitting on 

 their horses, laughin' fit to kill themselves at the 

 row, and encouragin' the pair, until I expected every 

 minute to see 'em pitchin' into one another with their 

 huntin' whips. 'Owever, just as they had pretty nigh 

 exhausted theirselves, away went my hounds at score, and 

 we took the stag twenty minutes afterwards, and very 

 glad I was of it, I can tell you. I believe my lord and Mr. 



made friends with each other since I left that part of 



the country, and a good job too, for they was the right 

 sort, both on 'em ; and thorough sportsmen as well. And 

 it's a pity when two like that fall out, aint it, sir?" 



