AND TEE DUKES OF EICEMOND. 35 



The Duke took great delight in keeping choice 

 birds and animals in the "high wood" and pleasure- 

 grounds. Eequiring a capable man to attend to 

 them, he engaged Tapner, with strict orders to be 

 there every morning at four o'clock, for as it was 

 summer time he wished the birds, etc., to be fed 

 early. Upon Tapner's arrival in the high wood on 

 the first morning, at four o'clock sharp, he was a 

 little surprised to find the Duke waiting for him. 



A further example of this nobleman's acuteness 

 may be related. When the Earl of Egremont gave 

 up his hounds, he offered them to his Grace, or so 

 many of them as he might choose to select, and the 

 Duke stating that he only wished to take a part of 

 them, the Earl sent Luke Freeman (the huntsman) 

 with the whole pack for the Duke to select what he 

 would like, saying that Luke himself might have the 

 remainder. His Grace was of course unable to pick out 

 the best hounds at sight, so he told Freeman to draft 

 those out he most fancied and ride away with them. 



The huntsman needed no time to make his selec- 

 tion, and quickly made ofi" with^ them. On reaching 

 the park gates he found the Duke there before him. 

 " "Well, Freeman," said he, " what have you got ? 

 The youngest and best, I expect ? " Freeman ad- 

 mitted he had drafted the most useful animals. 

 " Very good," said the Duke ; " leave those for me. 

 You shall have the rest for your share." 



