The Bloodhound, 13 



nose to the ground she hunted them across two 

 fields, going straight up to sundry bags of game 

 which had been hidden in a hedgerow. So far so 

 good ; but the constable w^as not yet satisfied, and 

 he took his hound back to where she had originally 

 been laid on the line. This time she went off in a 

 fresh direction, and soon left the policeman some 

 distance behind. He following up, ultimately found 

 her standing at another hedgerow, where more bags 

 of game were found concealed. These were secretly 

 watched all day, but the poachers must have 

 " smelled a rat," for none of themselves or their 

 families came near. This is rather to be wondered 

 at, for the bags were numerous and their contents 

 valuable. At night the constable and the lessee of 

 the shooting concealed themselves near the place 

 where the first lot of game was discovered. Now^ 

 they had not long to wait, for in about half an hour 

 there came a sound of approaching footsteps, and 

 two men appeared, who immediately appropriated 

 the bags and their contents, w^hich included nets and 

 the usual poachers' paraphernalia. They w'ere at 

 once recognised, and, the spoil taken from them, 

 were allow^ed to go. Summonses followed in due 

 course, and when the case was heard a plea was set 

 up that they had not taken the game themselves, but 

 had been sent for it by their mates. Fines of 40s. 



