THE LIFE OF A FOXHOUND. 93 



glancing at some thirty horses, not one of 

 which would fetch ten pounds, and all in a 

 high state of perspiration, with their riders 

 puffing cigars and smelling of all kinds of 

 horrible mixtures. I felt quite ill, and a little 

 more would have turned my stomach. 



"If any of these gentlemen," remarked 

 Trimbush, sneezing, " of high rank and 

 particular smell, get down wind of us to-day, 

 we shall not be able to hunt a yard." 



" What a dreadful thing it is," returned I, 

 *' that men should make themselves so 

 offensive. I don't suppose they have any 

 noses, have they? " 



'* Can't you see they have? " replied my 

 companion. 



" But it doesn't follow that they are any 

 use," said I. 



"Well! " added Trimbush, "as far as 

 that goes I don't think they are, although I 

 have heard of some men capable of smelling a 

 rat." 



A few of the gentlemen who regularly 



^■joined us now came up on their hacks, and 



instantly afterwards their clothed and hooded 



hunters, being led up and down by neatly 



dressed and light-weight grooms, were 



H 



