304 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1871 



huntsman, Charles Leedham first whipper-in, and Fred 

 Cottrell second whipper-in, the hounds remaining at Hoar 

 Cross. For some time past Tom had been regarding his 

 nephew Charles with a somewhat jealous eye. Few people 

 quite like their successors. On one occasion Charles had the 

 misfortune to jump on his uncle, and it was with difficulty 

 that the latter could be persuaded that it was not done 

 on purpose. Everything that went wrong was laid to 

 Charles's account. One day Tom had a fall and dislocated 

 his thumb. Going home, he was laying the blame, as 

 usual, on his nephew for something which had happened, 

 till at last the latter retorted with, " I wonder you don't 

 say it was my fault you put your thumb out." But old 

 Tom was not to be put oflf in that way, for he grunted out^ 

 " Well, so 'twas. If you hadna' joomped there I shouldna' 

 ha' joomped, and then I shouldna' ha' fallen and put me 

 thumb oot." 



There had been a good deal of good-natured chafi* for 

 some time about Tom's anxiety towards the end of the 

 day to get home to " Phoebe and his tea." Phoebe was 

 the sister with whom he lived, and a great favourite with 

 the old squire. Not that there was any real grumbling 

 against Tom. He was far too popular, and deservedly 

 so, for that, but it is impossible that the same enthusiasm 

 can exist at sixty-four as in the hey-dey of youth. The 

 writer well remembers Tom being out hunting some ten 

 years later on a pouring wet day, and remarking, in his 

 dry way, " And to think they call this ];)leasureJ' One 

 day, at Chartley, so runs the story, he looked Mr. Meynell 

 Ingram's horse up and down, and then burst out with^ 

 " I'll be domned if thee hasna' got a better horse than me. 

 The'd best get off and change. I've got to go faster than 

 thee." And his good-natured master humoured the 

 faithful old fellow's wish. He had the reputation of being 

 very close-fisted, and so, no doubt, he was towards himself,, 

 but those who knew him best said that he knew how to 

 be generous when occasion served, and had been known to 

 give as much as fifty pounds in a case of real distress. 



