164 



FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PR AI If IE. 



whitening lips that might be seen moving, as it were, with the 

 incantations of a wizard. At last Bob Devonshire succeeded in 



cutting the dastard form of Statesman well nigh in two with 

 his heavy lash, and sent him slinking back to sterner and more 

 formal punishment at the hands of Mr. Schmidt. The re- 

 mainder soon found they had been enticed into a wild goose 

 chase. Statesman was sent home to kennel, and condemned 

 indefinitely to half rations and idleness. Matters were righted 

 pro tern., and a twenty minutes' scurry soon afterwards acted as 

 some slight salve to wounded feelings. 



But it would be hard indeed to pass judgment on the Ooty 

 Pack on the basis of their misadventures at starting ; and so I 

 must ask my readers to allow six weeks of daily and incessant 

 work to have passed, and come out with me on one or two of 

 their best days. 



By this time the puppies and new-comers had been drilled 

 into very fair order, having been out at least twice a week, in 

 company only of an odd couple or so of venerable sages, until 

 one by one they could be depended upon not to disgrace them- 

 selves before the public, and were permitted to take their part 



