226 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



lumbering, travel -stained vehicle drew up before a long, 

 white homestead. The house and its inmates were 

 wrapped in slumber and darkness, and not the ghmmer 

 of a light was there to be seen through any of the windows 

 of the rambling building. 



" Let us serenade old Oom Jan. I'll take the solo 

 part of John Peel and you fellows join in the chorus," 

 said Hood, who, like many other human " ravens," 

 seemed to imagine that his croaking rivalled the liquid 

 melody of the nightingale. He lost no time in getting 

 forrard with the grand old Cumbrian hunting song, and 

 the dead silence of early morning was awakened by the 

 most ear-splitting view-halloos and who-whooping that 



ever scared Jan V and his household from their 



peaceful slumbers. 



Madcap Hood had just commenced the third verse of 

 his serenade when the twinkle of a light was seen flitting 

 from room to room Uke an imprisoned will-of-the-wisp. 

 A few minutes later the front door of the homestead 

 was flung violently open and our host, garbed in wonder- 

 ful and fearful night attire, stood on the top step of the 

 stoe'p and shouted in excellent English, " For Heaven's 

 sake what is the matter ; are you all daft or only topped 

 up ? " 



Having satisfied Jan V that we were neither insane 



nor inebriated he led us into the house, where we found 

 a substantial repast set out in the dining-room, and ample 

 justice having been done to the good things of the 

 supper — or rather breakfast-table — our worthy host 



