*Ubc ©tber Uom Smitb' isg 



General turned down the stream, and swam strongly as 

 if going out to Spithead ; but seeing nothing but water 

 and boats before him, he changed his mind, tacked about 

 as he passed a shallow creek, and stuck his fore feet 

 firmly into the muddy bank. Captain Yorke's horse 

 followed him to the shore. In a short time the whipper- 

 in (who with the rest had gone round by the bridge) 

 arrived, and gave the Master his horse. Mr Smith and 

 the Captain then dashed off after the hounds, and killed 

 their fox near Titchfield Common, whilst the whipper- 

 in was hauling poor General out of the mud. 



There were some carriages on the common, and the 

 fox was given to the hounds close to them. One of the 

 company asked Mr Smith whether he was not very cold 

 and wet. To which he replied, ' Neither, but I have 

 some water in my boots ; ' and holding up his foot, the 

 water poured out as from a bucket, and steaming as if 

 from a teakettle. This was in the depth of winter. 



But Tom Smith, like ' the Squire ' and many other 

 good fox-hunters, was also ' a bad one to beat ' in the 

 ball-room. 



Whenever the hounds hunted in the neighbourhood of 

 South Stoneham, Mr Fleming made a point of inviting 

 Tom to pass the preceding night at his hospitable 

 mansion. On one occasion there was a fancy ball at the 

 house, and the amiable hostess promised to open the 

 ball with him on condition that he would wear a Scotch 

 dress. He did so ; but when the time came he found 

 the dance was to be the galop, which he had never 

 practised nor even heard of It was too late to hold 

 back then, so he went to work trusting to the chapter 

 of accidents. In a minute his partner cried, * Why, you 

 don't know the galop ! ' ' No,' he replied ; ' only in the 



