36 O'er Crag and Torrent 



slips quietly over the bank from the river 

 into the smaller stream. Arthur's welcome 

 " Tally-ho ! " had scarcely passed his lips 

 when the Master is at the spot, and at 

 the sound of his horn every hound is 

 with him. No need to cheer them on 

 the bonnie creatures that they are. They 

 dash in a clustering, living mass into 

 the small stream. The "field" are now 

 wound up to an immense pitch of 

 excitement, and with very few and insig- 

 nificant exceptions, instantly conform with 

 the Master's orders "Keep back, please, 

 gentlemen," or " Give the hounds room " 

 for they know well that the Master never 

 spares himself in any possible way to show 

 good sport, but that nothing on earth annoys 

 him more than the " field " or some draper's 

 assistant interfering with the work of his 

 hounds. The otter is now viewed by a 

 veteran with a voice like "a bull of Bashan," 



