34 HOUND AND HORN 



as well, was undefeated. He had pulled out a well- 

 shaped but rather backward three-year-old for in- 

 spection, and was told it looked short of condition. 



^' I never like them rolling fat to start the season," 

 he stated. 



'' But you're never going to hunt that beast ; I was 

 going to ask if he was broken to lead," Billy had said. 



*' Broken to lead," shrieked Will Phaup ; *' man, 

 I hunted him last season three days in the same 

 week in the foremost flight." 



^' But, Will, that's no way to treat a young one." 



" I ken, lad, but the auld mare was lame, and when 

 the hoonds come whoopin' and hollerin' round yer 

 verra door, what's a man to dae ? " 



We smoked and talked, and talked and smoked 

 again till far past midnight, and Billy was knocking 

 the ashes from his pipe preparatory to telling of 

 Andrew Waugh, " the very finest old boy of the lot," 

 when a summons from the bed-room overhead was 

 rapped out through the ceiling with such precision and 

 vigour as to leave no doubt of its meaning, and the 

 sitting was adjourned. 



When I retired, a voice from the pillows asked, 

 '* Have you fixed upon a name for the grey mare yet ? " 



*' Well, no, we didn't touch on the subject at all. 

 Why ? " 



" Because he's been at me to suggest a name for 

 his mare, and I've given him some most suitable ones 

 — ' Quicksilver,' * Grey Nun,' and others ; and I'm 

 determined not to propose the one he wants, and you 

 must not do so either." 



" What does he want, and how do you know ? " 



^^ Why, stupid, ^ Lady Florence ' of course." 



