GETTING TO WORK 55 



intervals, and kept up so long that I went down. 

 There I found old " Bedpost " leaning on the iron 

 railing at the foot of the stone steps, indulging in his 

 practice of scratching his big leg. The poor beast 

 was soon afterwards converted into soup. 



Hounds were received with symptoms of great 

 enthusiasm by all dwellers in the Forest country ; 

 not only by those who followed them, but by many 

 who never had been, and could never hope to be, 

 out with them. During the early days of cubbing 

 in the first season, many indications were shown of 

 a strong interest in the hunt, and a keen appreciation 

 of the sport. 



An old farmer occupying land adjoining the kennels 

 never missed seeing hounds go out in the morning ; 

 no matter how early they left the kennels, old Wight 

 was at his gate to see us pass ; and though rather a 

 solemn-looking individual at ordinary times, he always 

 had a wide grin to give us and a salute much more 

 marked and ceremonious than on other occasions. A 

 hand raised half-way up to his hat and a sort of back- 

 ward jerk of his head was his market-day recognition ; 

 but a low bow and a downward sweep of his hat was 

 always given to the hounds. He was equally anxious 

 for our safe return ; and if he had not seen us come in 

 before dark, he used to make his wife and son take turns 

 to watch and listen. The latter, one night, got tired 

 of his cold vigil, and reported our return to his father, 

 who, unfortunately for Tom's veracity, heard the horn 

 sounding to acquaint the stablemen of our approach 

 an hour later. The old man suspecting Tom's error, 

 asked me at what hour we got back, and on being 

 told 7-30, he said, ''An' Tammas had ye hame an oor 



