FOX-TERRIERS 139 



It may be gathered from internal evidence that the 

 loss of all our money at the Grand Military meeting 

 that spring, as recorded in the preceding chapter, led to 

 the appeal to Mr Arrowsmith for 15, details of which are 

 given in the Prologue. The backing of Kingcraft for the 

 Derby followed, but it was before the 2000 Guineas, and 

 we only got 20 to 5. This would not appear suggestive 

 of any of us winning Exhibitions that summer, but for 

 my part I had determined to give the junior masters an 

 object lesson which would annoy them, as I knew any 

 success of mine, unaided by any of them, would do. 



Nothing, however, is said of any serious work in the 

 following letter to Tom Scott written on gth April 1870 : 



I went to Hill Morton Paddocks yesterday and saw first about 

 five pups, 6 months old, by young Jock. None of this lot were 

 first class, all having huge drop ears, and they were very large. 

 Then came three pups of the same age, by Venture out of Fernie ; 

 one of which was almost all tan, having very little white on it. 

 Another was a miserable small thing ; and the third was a pretty 

 good one, though with several spots on its sides, and not nearly so 

 good as I expect Venom's will be. The man wanted 20 for it. 

 Then came out young Jock and Fernie. With the former no fault 

 was to be found, but it is strange that, for all that, he is exactly 

 like his photograph in my album, with the same curious hind- 

 quarters and stern somewhat thicker towards the end. I should 

 say he is about the best dog, barring his father, that is at present 

 shown. 



The man had a badger, and said they would draw it, but as they 

 could see it through the bars of the box and almost touch it, and 

 still took no notice whatever, I rather doubted what he said, 

 especially as he had no appliances whatever for trying them. 



Fernie I saw really for the first time. She is a most surprising 

 bitch, very much like Vic. (Stuart Wortley's) only a great deal 

 bigger, broader and fatter, though you could hardly believe it. 

 She had, moreover, a short, stumpy and tremendously thick tail, 

 with a head much the same shape and colour as old Vic. 



They seem to have got a very good programme at Thirsk this 

 year. You will find that Nil Desperandum will win a race, if 

 started. Ptarmigan ought to have a chance. I see Woodcraft, 

 Kingcraft's dam, has just had a chestnut colt foal by Blair Athol. 

 She is, of course, going to be put to King Tom again. 



