CAPTUKE OF THE FIRST POACHER. 13 



keeping hounds. Either the waggon had broken 

 down, or it was too late when they arrived to unload 

 it. Grumbo's duty was to prevent any of the la- 

 bourers from disturbing the deer by looking into 

 the waggon ; and faithfully he did it. 



Boy as I was, and not then very strong, as I had 

 rather shot up too fast for stamina, I deemed my dog 

 and myself a match for a poacher, and my first attempt 

 in this line was on two men stealing pheasants' eggs, 

 one of whom we took. They ran for it, and as their 

 course was up a grass " balk," or headland, between 

 Harlington Orchards and the corn, on which a cow 

 was tethered, I shall never forget my anxiety, when 

 Grumbo, not quite comprehendhig what he was to 

 catch, paused beneath her nose instead of continuing 

 his chase of the men. The dog, however, had some 

 doubts as to the cow, for he looked back at me for 

 confirmation, and on a wave of my arm, which he 

 understood, by previous experience, to mean " for- 

 ward," he left the cow, and took up the running again 

 on the men. The men and the dog all turned down a 

 narrow path into the village of Harlington, and in 

 another hundred yards they would have been safe in 

 the houses : it was with no small delight then, that, 

 when 1 reached the corner, I saw one of the men 

 fixed, and the dog lying in the path before him with 

 a significance of manner, that if he moved he would 

 be fastened on. I came up, collared the offender, and 

 returned to Cranford House in triumph with my 

 prisoner. I have never satisfactorily comprehended 

 why Grumbo did not seize this man ; and the only 

 way I can account for it is, that the dog had still 

 some doubt whether the cow or the man was the 

 game of the day. By use and method, this dog was 



