328 llEMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



to the ground, trotted a little way, and looked back 

 to see if I observed him. I did observe him, and 

 became at once convinced that he was about to aid 

 me ; indeed, so peculiar was his manner and method, 

 that there was no mistaking it. He went oiF at a 

 long, dejected-looking trot, more resembling a mad 

 dog's action than his own graceful method when on 

 game, and I followed him in the greatest possible 

 anxiety. When he came to the spot on which my 

 man and the two woodmen, strangers to him and 

 both tainted with the deer, had severed and gone 

 different ways, Tramp came to a check, tried each 

 track, and seemed perplexed, looking up to me for 

 aid, which I had no power to give. All I could do 

 was to say, " good dog Tramp," and to encourage 

 him quietly. To my infinite joy he again took up 

 the running on a strange line that had nothing to 

 do with the steps of my people, and on we went over 

 bog and hill and at last down to the railway. I had 

 both my guns on my shoulders, the rifle and shot 

 gun, besides ammunition, and, so loaded, Tramp's 

 long trot kept me at a pace rather difficult to main- 

 tain ; when he checked at the railway I was there- 

 fore some distance behind, and I saw him try in each 

 direction and then look back for me. Just as I 

 reached him he went on a line of scent down by 

 the side of the railway towards the three plate-layers 

 before mentioned, but, after carrying it on a short 

 distance, he Avould not have it, but returned to the 

 wires, up to which he had decidedly been right. He 

 then for tlie first time crept through upon the plates, 

 looked at me, and carried on the scent over the line 

 to the heather on the other side. Here, then, for the 

 first time, I had ocular demonstration as to his 



