THE LIFE OF A FOXHOUND. 11 



" And a very good one too," I remarked; 

 " but don't let me interrupt you. Pray pro- 

 ceed." 



** You would find out in time," resumed 

 Trimbush, ** but may as well profit by my 

 experience, and learn it at once, that most 

 men who go with us to the covert-side know 

 little about hunting and less about hounds. 

 So long as their patience is not cramped with 

 drawing blanks, and we go the pace with 

 heads up and sterns down, they are satisfied, 

 and take little further interest in us. Not one 

 in fifty can tell even what the points of a 

 hound are; and as for understanding any- 

 thing about our habits and dispositions, they 

 think that we are as much alike as cherries 

 upon the same stalk. So far, however, from 

 that being the case, we differ from each other 

 in every respect as much as man to man 

 engaged in the same pursuit, and frequently 

 inherit the peculiarities of our fathers and 

 mothers, as they do. You see that black-and- 

 tan hound basking in the sun ? ' ' 



" Yes." 



" That's Valentine. Now, his father, 

 who was killed from a kick three years ago, 

 always trotted to and from kennel just under 



