86 THE LIFE OF A FOXHOUND. 



his frock. A few others he served in the same 

 way ; and calling us each by name, let us into 

 another court, saying, ** You puppies shall 

 feed by yourselves this morning ; you all want 

 a little nursing, I find." 



Will Sykes entered soon afterwards, and, 

 seeing Mark's arrangement for our comfort, 

 observed, '* That's right; those puppies want 

 taking care of." 



*' Ay," replied Mark, smoothing down my 

 sleek ears and patting my sides, ** I hear some 

 of 'em deserve it." 



*' That Ringwood," rejoined the hunts- 

 man, " is more like a third-seasoned hound 

 than a puppy at the beginning of his first." 



Old Mark's eyes glistened again at this; 

 and looking at me for a few seconds as I 

 lashed my stern to and fro and stared him full 

 in the face, to let him understand I knew all 

 that was being said of me, he muttered, " If 

 a draft of hounds ever goes to heaven, you'll 

 be one of 'em, my lad." 



All this praise tended to make me a little 

 vainer than I otherwise should have been, 

 perhaps; but at the same time it fixed my 

 resolution to merit as much as I could of it. 

 And I have often thought since, that there is 



