102 Seventy Years a Master. 



discover the why and wherefore of the 

 occurrences of the day, they entered as well 

 again into the pleasures of the chase, and 

 became steady creatures instead of mere 

 slaves to superficial rule. 



" In waiting with them for the arrival of 

 spades to open a drain, on observing the 

 approach of labourers with the necessary in- 

 struments, they have started away from me 

 the length of a field to meet them, throwing 

 their tongues, in individual instances, in a 

 joyful recognition, and dancing up to and even 

 kissing the handles of the spades, as much 

 as to say, ' These are the boys we want.' 

 This done, they would race back to me again, 

 and to the drain, as if inviting the bearers of 

 the spades to make more haste in their assist- 

 ance. In doing this, there was no riot ; the 

 merry tongues which were thrown blithely in 

 the air did not babble ; they were simple and 

 sensible gratulations to those who were bring- 

 ing aid, and what a sin it would have been 

 to have regarded these natural proceedings as 

 insubordination, unsteadiness and riot, and 



