THE DRIVE. 27 



fell at intervals along the line, soon after which 

 we converged upon our centre, and a halt was 

 called. Some time elapsed, however, before all 

 the stragglers, shooters as well as beaters, were 

 collected together. Now and then, a keeper 

 might be seen, slowly crawling through the 

 heather, with a buck or a doe slung over his 

 shoulders, while another w r ould appear from the 

 opposite quarter, with feathered game or hares 

 in either hand, until at last all were assembled, 

 and the varying fortunes of each sportsman 

 hurriedly related during the brief time allotted 

 for luncheon. 



And now the " drive " was about to assume a 

 totally different character. As yet, we had been 

 unassisted by any dogs, except a few sedate re- 

 trievers, who walked listlessly behind their masters, 

 and preserved their grave demeanour, unless, when 

 occasionally put on the track of a wounded roe or 

 a winged blackcock, when their services proved 

 invaluable ; but now I first observed, in charge of 

 a new batch of keepers, a motley pack of dogs, of 

 various sizes and breeds, conspicuous among 

 which was a huge black and tan bloodhound, of the 

 true musical, long-eared type a host in himself, 

 I was assured, and especially adapted to the kind 

 of sport that was now about to commence. 



