HUNTERS 213 



youth still remained, apparently somewhat ex- 

 hausted by his previous excitement, and as there 

 was now an opportunity of seeing what injury 

 had really been sustained, the writer carefully 

 examined the dead animal. There was one tiny 

 hole in the abdomen, and from it protruded a 

 minute portion of intestine about the size of a 

 walnut ; and the closest investigation did not 

 disclose any injury whatever to the gut at all. 

 The youth looked on while the examination was 

 being made, and at the close of it the writer stood 

 up, and addressing him, said, " You are a veterinary 

 surgeon, I presume, sir ? " "• Nothing of the 

 sort," he replied with a haughty air. " But," 

 was the rejoinder, " you ordered the horse to be 

 shot." " Of course I did," he answered, " why, 

 it was staked ! " " There was nothing the matter 

 there that the horse would not have recovered 

 from in ten days," said the writer, " and it might 

 have been running again here at the next meet- 

 ing." " But it was staked ! " replied the youth, 

 with great emphasis, as though that statement 

 admitted of no argument. " If I was the owner 

 of the horse," was the answer, *' I should certainly 

 bring an action against you for the unwarrantable 

 destruction of my property." The youth waited 

 to hear no more, and turning round fled towards 

 the stand as fast as he could run. 



In all cases of punctures of the skin it is neces- 

 sary to close the opening immediately by the 

 means mentioned above, in order to prevent air 

 from entering the wound, which would other- 

 wise pass under the skin, blowing it out like a 

 bladder during the journey home, and producing 

 a curious feeling of crackling when the hand is 

 passed over the skin. When the opening is very 



