THE LIFE OF A FOXHOUND. 35 



observed Trimbush, raising himself from a 

 corner of the court, and stretching his limbs. 

 ** I began to think some danger had befallen 

 ye." 



* * No thanks to you for having escaped it, * ' 

 replied I, somewhat sharply. 



** Oh !" rejoined the old hound, carelessly : 

 " in a run it's every hound for himself, and 

 a kick for the hindmost. There's no 

 consideration then." 



" What did you do with the varmint? " 

 inquired I, anxious to learn the result of our 

 hunt. 



' * Within five minutes of tailing you off, ' ' 

 replied he, "I ran him from scent to view; 

 and if he had not gone to ground, I'd have 

 broken him up without any sharers in the 

 feast. As it was," he continued, " he was so 

 hot and beaten that he couldn't lie more than 

 a few inches from the mouth of the earth ; and 

 there we remained, with our red rags out, 

 panting and grinning at each other for 

 hours. Now and then I had a scratching dig 

 "for him; but finding that I could make no 

 progress for the roots, left at last reluctantly, 

 and pointed for home, where I arrived when 

 the stars were twinkling." 



