104 HOUND AND HORN 



to the snug farmhouse of Nether, or Under, Fawhope, 

 stood Jim Peebles waiting for us. We had barely 

 pulled up when, anticipating the question, he at once 

 said : " We only got home from the dinner this 

 morning just before daylight, and what a job I had 

 with my cousin, William Peebles. We left the Cross 

 Keys at closing time last night, but we put in at 

 the Doctor's for an hour or two, leaving there about 

 three or four o'clock. William maintained that his 

 pony could out-trot my mare, giving me half a mile 

 start, and I set off before him, and about the cross- 

 roads he came galloping and barging behind me like 

 at a bumping boat race, and I had to gallop to save 

 my dog-cart from being crashed into. He was for 

 coming in here, and his pony would hardl}^ pass the 

 road end, and set my mare on jibbing at the ford, 

 and when I hit her she flung up to the dash-board, a 

 thing I never knew her do before. But come away, 

 Upper Fawhope is only three-quarters of a mile on, 

 and we'll just be in time for lunch." 



He strode after us with the long swinging stride 

 of a hill shepherd, and kept up to " Merrylass' " quick 

 walk without effort. We found William Peebles 

 sitting on a stone at the turn off of his road, 

 watching a young lad who was appl3ang a liberal 

 wash of whitening to a row of large stones marking 

 the turn. 



'^ Good morning, gentlemen," said he. " These 

 stones are not easy seen on a black night. The last 

 time Jim Peebles was in here he drove over most 

 of them ; I see his tracks." And he added half hesi- 

 tatingly, ''They might be useful to you going out 

 to-night." 



