144 Ralph Duckworth of the Wild Farm. 



tonishment was the body of a dead fox, who evidently, from 

 the signs about him, had met his death in the legitimate 

 way. All the other guns came up to have a look, and then 

 the cry went forth of '' Bravo, Ralph ! " 



''Leave him just as he is," said our host to the keeper, 

 "and one of you run up to the house and tell somebody to 

 start off on a horse at once to the Wild Farm with this 

 note. The Squire tore a leaf out of his memorandum 

 book as he spoke, and scribbled a few hasty lines to 

 Ralph. We then resumed our shooting. One o'clock 

 came, and we had just sat down to enjoy that which 

 was certainly not the worst part of the day's entertainment* 

 namely, our luncheon, when the sound of a horse galloping 

 was heard, and in another minute our jolly old friend 

 Ralph Duckworth appeared, his rat-tailed horse in a 

 lather, and he himself with his jovial countenance more 

 rubicund than usual from the haste he had made. When 

 he heard of our find, the old fellow's delight knew no 

 bounds. Nothing would serve him but he must go and 

 look at the fox with his own eyes that very instant. He 

 would neither bite nor sup, he declared, until he did ; and, 

 seeing there was no help for it, the head keeper forth- 

 with took him away to where lay all that remained of 

 poor Reynard. By-and-by the worthy pair returned, 

 bringing the fox along with them, and then, quite satisfied, 

 old Ralph, having given his rat-tailed favourite to one ot 

 the beaters to walk about, wanted no more persuasion, but 

 sat down with us and set to at the good things put before 

 him with the air of a man who felt he had thoroughly 

 earned his food. We omitted to add that at the same 

 time that our cheery host despatched his messenger to 

 the house to send off a mounted man to fetch Ralph he 



