G4 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



quietly his opportunity until little Mischief thought the 

 coast was clear, and had come out into shorter wood, 

 and then pounce upon her like lightning, with one or 

 two cuts of the lash. Instead of rating her at the top of 

 his voice, with a considerable quantity of damson pie in 

 addition, he would merely tell Mischief to leave that fun 

 alone, for the next time she did it he would break half 

 the bones in her skin. I have known such a whipper-in, 

 when the young hounds were all in a charm, running 

 riot together, sit as quietly on his horse as if nothing 

 was the matter, until he saw they were in his power ; he 

 would then dash at once in among them, like a hawk 

 into a flock of birds. I have heard him, also, when he 

 could not get at them, telling them what they might ex- 

 pect when they met. His usual rate, *' What next, 1 

 wonder, hey, you mischievous curs?" in his strong, angr^ 

 voice, was generally a sufficient hint, and all were quiet. 

 He never struck a hound unnecessarily, nor mistook 

 Jupiter for Juno, and did not very often get out o 

 temper ; but when he did strike a hound, it was to such 

 purpose that he did not soon forget it. His look, too, 

 and manner, when not pleased, were too decided to be 

 mistaken, but I never heard him crack his whip once in 

 a week. 



An idle, stupid fellow, with a good voice, is one of the 

 greatest nuisances that a pack of hounds can be exposed 

 to. He fancies he has always something to do, and 

 something to say ; with not sufficient tact to catch hounds 

 when at riot, and punish them in the act, he generally 

 waits his opportunity to vent his ill-humour upon them 

 when out of covert, or perhaps when assembled round 

 the huntsman. Such a fellow will do much more mis- 



