SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 381 



to spare, so call the liuutsmau and whipper-in to 

 come here directly/^ 



" Yes, sir; but master, seeing you looked cold, has 

 had some good gravy soup got ready/' 



" All the better, bring it in/^ 



Exit waiter ; enter head ditto, with a tureen of 

 hot stuff called ox-tail — a misnomer generally, as 

 ox-tails are not so easily got hold of as sheep^s tails 

 in the provinces. 



" Well, Thomas,^^ exclaimed Staveley, ^^ I was 

 afraid to ask questions, not seeing you as usual, and 

 began to think this cold weather had shrivelled you 

 up like a daisy at sunset." 



'' I was engaged, squire, taking up dinner to some 

 gents in the commercial line when you rode up ; and 

 you know they always wants the best of things at a 

 mementos notice, and the lowest rate.''' 



" And how does the house go on, Thomas ?" 



'^'Tain't burnt down yet, sir, but 'twill soon by 

 these fire engines. They have got the rail open to 

 within ten miles of ns, and when they builds up the 

 station-house at Lenton Hill, 'tis all over with our 

 house. We shan't ever do any business except with 

 tourists and trappists, and they won't pay the coal 

 bill." 



" What do you call trappists ? " 



" 'Tis another name for bagmen — in politer lan- 

 guage, commercial — we can't tack on ^gentlemen,' 

 sir, without doing violence to our sense of truth." 



" Here, Jem," cried Staveley, "off with that red rag 

 of yours. Take it in the kitchen, Thomas, and bring 

 your master's dressing gown or your missus's flannel 



