The Bloodhound. 15 



the country was thoroughly white. The snow lay on 

 the ground to an uniform depth of about eight inches ; 

 where it had drifted, occasionally we were almost up 

 to our knees. For a time the sky was fairly bright, 

 but later a blinding shower of snow fell, which 

 happily cleared off in about an hour's time. At our 

 terminus we were joined by Mr. Holmes Pegler, who 

 brought with him a dog hound named Danger, by 

 Maltravers out of Blossom. This hound a few 

 generations back can claim some of the old southern 

 hound blood ; but he shows not the slightest trace of 

 this, being a good-looking black and tan animal, 

 though not in the best of form, so far as health is 

 concerned. He had very little preliminary training, 

 and thus afforded fair evidence of what a bloodhound 

 will do under adverse circumstances. Our small 

 party which included, in addition to the gentlemen 

 already mentioned, three ladies in a sleigh, Dr. 

 Philpot, and Mr. W. K. Taunton made the best way 

 along the lanes to the Downs, and, ascended them, 

 on to the Sheep Hanger Common. Towards the 

 summit we found ourselves on one side of a pretty 

 valley, which even under its wintry garb looked quite 

 charming, and afforded some idea of the beauty of 

 the locality when summer blooms. However, before 

 quite reaching the hill top it was decided to give 

 Danger a trial. 



