The Royal Buckhounds 177 



self. It seems that his Royal Highness and two other gentle- 

 men of the Royal family were bird shooting in Scotland. 

 When the day's sport was over they came out into the high- 

 way, where it had been arranged that their host's carriage was 

 to meet them. Through some misunderstanding the carriage 

 failed to arrive at the appointed place. Meantime a Scotch 

 farmer happened along in a two-wheeled farm or market cart. 

 The Prince of Wales proposed to his friends that they ask the 

 farmer for a ride into town. 



"Would you kindly give us a hft into town?" inquired the 

 prince. 



"Come up," replied the farmer, after looking these gentle- 

 men over critically, "come up and be smart about it, for a ha' 

 no too much time for getting me butter to the evening express 

 for Edinburgh." 



The Prince of Wales got up in front and the other two 

 gentlemen sat up beliind, guns in hand, on a seat riding back- 

 wards. The Scotchman whipped up and they were off at a 

 ratthng pace. After driving a little distance the Prince of 

 Wales turned to one of the gentlemen riding beliind and 

 inquired, "Are you coming on all right, prince?" 



"Oh nicely, thank you. This is quite the most enjoyable 

 drive I have had in years." 



At this the farmer pricked up his ears and finally inquired 

 of the Prince of Wales, "Who are the gentlemen up beliind?" 

 "The one back of you," replied the prince, "is Prince Charles 

 of Denmark and the other is Prince Henry of Battenberg." 

 There was a long pause, when the farmer continued, "And who 

 are you?" "Well," replied the genial Prince, "they call me the 

 Prince of Wales." There was another long pause, when his 

 Royal Highness added, "Now I have told you who we are, 

 perhaps you will kindly tell us whom we have the honour of 

 riding with." "Aim the Tzar of Russia," replied the farmer, 

 to the great delight of his three princety passengers. 



