176 EEMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



compunction ; besides, that which I am about to 

 narrate, I hope will be taken as an example by- 

 others, if their lot casts them in a like situation. 

 On our return from hunting to the inn at Brix- 

 worth, where, when the hounds were in the open, 

 I put up, of course, the conversation after dinner 

 was on the events of the day, as is naturaL On 

 these occasions, after dinner, Mr. Wilkins became 

 very opinionative about his hounds, and, if contra- 

 dicted or differed from by me, he always offered to 

 back his opinion by a bet. Thus, when a brilliant 

 hit had been made, he used to say which hound had 

 made it, and was often wrong. I used to set him 

 right as to the name of the particular hound, every 

 one of them being as well known to me as the hair 

 on ray head ; but my friend would not have it, and 

 if I declined to bet he asserted it was because I 

 was afraid to lose ray raoney. I did not much 

 mind what he or any one else said after dinner^ but 

 hoping to read him a lesson, I at last agreed to the 

 wagers he offered, bidding him book the bets hiraself, 

 and we would each attach our signatures. He always 

 appointed his own judge as to the hound that raade 

 the hit, and the judge was Jack Stephens. I took 

 care to have the thing fairly put, and the judgment 

 on every occasion was in my favour. "Lug out, old 

 boy," I used to say, after the fact had been settled 

 next morning, my demand in the long run being a very 

 heavy one. " D — n it ! you're in a deuce of a hurry 

 for the raoney, Master Berkeley ; I can't give it you 

 just now," was the soraewhat testy reply ; and then, 

 having pretended with much seriousness that I wanted 

 the money, I used to take the written bet P. P., and 

 tearing it, put it into the fire before his face. The 



