54 THE LIFE OF A FOXHOUND. 



felt, before now, an inclination to repeat an 

 error, convinced as ye may have been of its 

 impropriety." 



" Ah! " exclaimed Trimbush, drav^ing in 

 the breath between his teeth with a hissing 

 sound; " that I have. We are as clannish as 

 Scotsmen, and support each other through 

 thick and thin, in the same mortar-an' -brick 

 fashion. If one of us is a marked and 

 confirmed rebel, he seldom repeats his fault 

 without lots of company to back him. The 

 season before last, a hound was sent here from 

 the north country, and as sulky and ill- 

 tempered a brute as was ever seen in a kennel. 

 We all hated him; and yet, strange as it may 

 appear, upon Ned Adams attempting to drive 

 him from the lodging-house one morning, in 

 consequence of his refusal to come when 

 called, he flew at him, and, fastening upon his 

 shoulder, was instantly joined by half the 

 hounds in the court." 



" I can't understand that," replied I. 



" The cause lies in our blood and bone," 

 rejoined my friend. ** The impulse with us," 

 continued he, " is paramount — to follow the 

 leader however wrong he may be in his 

 example." 



