48 HOUND AND HORN 



Mr. Grieve," said I to our hen-raising farmer, as that 

 gentleman came panting up. 



'' Thank ye, sir ; that was not his first veesit to my 

 hen-hoose, but it will be his last, the thief. Come 

 roond my way an' I'll gie ye a taste o' butter-milk an' 

 whuskey — a graund drink for a hot mornin'." 



" Many thanks, but it's a little out of our way," 

 repHed I, glancing at my second whip, who would 

 fain have gone back. '* Good morning." 



"A satisfactory morning. Master," said Billy, as 

 we sauntered homewards. 



^' Yes, Bill ; all but for one thing. I would have 

 liked it better had hounds found these two foxes 

 entirely by themselves. They hunted them well 

 enough, but they had none of the fun or trouble of 

 hunting /or them ; and if they always have them 

 found for them like this, they may become impatient 

 and careless in drawing." 



On that homeward ride, as on many subsequent 

 occasions, we went over minutely every small inci- 

 dent of the morning, discussing the individual per- 

 formances of each hound ; how the old hounds ran 

 in turn at head without jealousy ; how one or two 

 of the young ones would dart forward as if to snatch 

 it away from their elders, but when they were in 

 difficulties, how they had to fall back and allow the 

 more experienced to show them how to keep to 

 the line; how this hound was best on the sheep 

 tracks and that across the burnt heather: agreeing 

 that there was a great deal of delight to be had 

 from watching all this, even though the riding part 

 of it was not up to what it is in enclosed country 

 over fences. 



