io8 HOUND AND HORN 



and that worthy's reply was, " Oh ! that's nothing, 

 sir. The foxes were barking and fighting at the 

 gallows over the bones so loud two nights ago that 

 they wouldn't let the hounds get to sleep, and I had 

 to get up twice with the lantern to them ! " 



We gazed at the huddled-up forms on the sleeping 

 benches, and they were heaped closer than usual 

 during this cold weather. I tested Bill's knowledge 

 by asking him to tell which hound the smallest 

 portion of exposed surface belonged to, and this we 

 did by spelling ; for if we had named them, it would 

 have made the hound named uncurl himself and 

 disturb at least two or three of his fellows ; so 

 it was — 



'^ What's that lying with his head on R-a-m-b-l-e-r-'s 

 flank ? " 



" That's P-i-1-g-r-i-m— no ? Then it's P-i-r-a-t-e." 

 '* That's right. Now find D-e-x-t-e-r, and so on." 

 Tom told how some hounds ^'bossed the benches" 

 and always had their own favourite to make a pillow or 

 a footstool of; how some were liked and some dis- 

 liked by all the others ; how much space was needed 

 before feeding, and how much more after feeding ; 

 and many other items of supreme importance in his 

 own eyes. 



'' I like to see them best when they are tired and 

 fed after a long day's hunting; how they do snuggle 

 up and snore ; and when I look in last thing at them 

 not one of them looks up but Regent, and he only 

 opens one eye. Except on the night after a hunt, 

 he's the restlessest beggar ever was, and as he will 

 lie at the back of the bed, and must get up at the 

 least outside noise, he often disturbs the lot. And 



