A BAD MAN TO BET WITH 143 



not raise Stephens much in my opinion as a huntsman. I saw 

 no man, in fact, while Mr. Wilkins had the hounds, that I 

 should have retained in my service a day, unless they had 

 strangely altered their conduct in the field with hounds as 

 well as elsewhere, except young Ball, whom they had from me. 

 He was first a helper in my stable, and knowing old Tom Ball, 

 who whipped-in for Lord Tavi stock, before I took the country, 

 I put him up occasionally as second whipper-in. He was a fine 

 horseman, and had he remained with me I should have had no 

 hesitation in promoting him, as I approved highly of what I 

 saw. He was with Mr. Wilkins, under Jack Stephens, for some 

 time, and then left for other service, and I lost sight of him. 



In these Reminiscences I am averse to touching on anything 

 unless it has to do with sport ; if sport be mixed up with other 

 passages of life, then I feel no compunction ; besides, that which 

 I am about to narrate, I hope will be taken as an example by 

 others, if their lots cast them in a like situation. On our 

 return from hunting to the inn at Brixworth, where, when the 

 hounds were in the open, I put up, of course, the conversa- 

 tion 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 contradicted 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 my head ; but my 

 friend would not have it, and if I declined to bet he asserted it 

 was because I was afraid to lose my money. 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 himself, and we would each attach 

 our signatures. He always appointed his own judge as to the 

 hound that made 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 



