The late Captain Spencer s Greyhounds. 93 



thing and everything, just as it came. The Captain 

 used to say that he never heard of him being 

 thoroughly out of temper, except when a brother- 

 trainer came to the kennel, and would insist that 

 Sunbeam's tail was not rightly set on. He might have 

 said what he liked about John himself, but the runner 

 up to King Lear for the Waterloo Cup was too che- 

 rished an object for such critiques. John despised jelly 

 in training, and did not care for flesh. Biscuits dipped 

 in beast's or sheep's head broth were his great specific, 

 but try as he might, he could not get up Sunbeam's 

 muscle for his third Waterloo Cup effort, and he sent 

 a highly-laconic telegram from Altcar announcing the 

 fact to the Captain, who was detained on a special 

 jury at Carlisle. Sunbeam was a delicate dog to train 

 and always a light feeder. He had a mild eye, and a 

 small and beautifully turned head, which might have 

 belonged to a bitch. An open country with drains 

 suited him, as he hated fencing, and would hardly face 

 a gate. His speed was good though not quite first- 

 class, and his work when he got in very level and beau- 

 tiful. John used to watch with such rapture for " the 

 white belly as he cam roond with his hare." The 

 Captain often gave an imitation of John when he ar- 

 rived from the Scottish National, leading Sunbeam 

 with one hand, and carrying the Douglas Cup wrapped 

 up in his handkerchief with the other. The presenta- 

 tion of "the mug" to him on the drive by John was 

 the first intimation he had of his victory. Seagull 

 was a totally different dog to Sunbeam, a great 

 rusher and very resolute, and requiring a very strong 

 hare to steady him down and let a judge see how good 

 he was. His temper was nasty to the last degree. He 

 wouldn't play and he wouldn't let the others play, and 

 he cut "the Seagull crest" all over them to that extent 

 that he had to be muzzled both in kenned and at ex- 

 ercise. 



