54 HOUND AND HORN 



followed, but we were encumbered with headstalls, 

 and couples, and muzzles, and small stable impedi- 

 menta, so we refrained, and moved cautiously forward. 

 No hounds broke away, but we shortly afterwards 

 missed two terriers. The keen little creatures had 

 made oft and followed the fun, coupled together, till 

 they were caught hung up on a wire fence quite 

 exhausted and showing marks of a severe battle. 



We made out the rest of the journey without further 

 incident, and found all in readiness for us. Hounds 

 signalised their entry into their new quarters by burst- 

 ing open an unbolted door into the feeding-house, 

 while Tom was attending to his horse, and feeding 

 themselves. 



The preparations for our reception included, besides 

 a well-stocked larder, an old beef horse which, from 

 the size and shape of one of his hind-legs, we named 

 ** Bedpost." He was afQicted with grease, and was 

 fond of leaning up against a support and scratching 

 the affected leg with his sound one. 



On the way to the kennels next morning we found 

 that old '^Bedpost" had, during the night, been support- 

 ing himself against a rail fence surrounding the tennis 

 lawn. He had begun at one end, and carrying away 

 a rood at a time, had worked his way along, levelling 

 the whole to the ground. He then got his rump 

 comfortably wedged against an old arbour, which, 

 though he did not raze, he canted considerably off 

 the straight. That day he was turned into the cow- 

 field, which was surrounded by a strong iron fence, 

 in which apparently secure barrier he found a weak 

 spot ; for about 3 A.M. I was wakened by a stamping 

 noise outside the front door, continued at regular 



