HORSES AND HOUNDS. 197 



reverend friend slowly approaclied with a conntenance snur 

 enough to turn new milk. " A pretty way of doing things," I 

 heard him sneeringly remark, " mobbing and riding foxes to 

 death in this manner, with other people's hounds too. He 

 might spoil his own if he liked, and welcome, but I am sur- 

 prised Mr. allows his pack to be treated so." " Without 



my friend's permission, sir," I replied, rather angrily, " I should 

 not have taken such a liberty. His hounds wanted blood, and 

 I have killed a fox for them, that is all. For myself, I do 

 not come into this country to be taught lessons in fox-hunting. 

 Little as I do know, I shall not take a leaf out of your book, at 

 any rate. Give me the fox, Jim. Now, gentlemen, if you 

 please, just let us have a little elbow room, as these poor 

 hounds are craving to taste a bit of fox once more." 



Upon Jim handing me tlie fox, the old gentleman said aloud, 

 " A heavy vixen, poor brute !" and walked away. My hackles 

 were up at this unfair accusation. " Come here, Jim," I said ; 

 " take these tokens (cutting them out, and wrapping them in a 

 piece of paper before the field) to that gentleman, with my com- 

 pliments," Jim hesitated. " Do as I bid you, instantly, sir," I 

 added. Following my snarling enemy, he overtook him in a 

 body of his friends, and taking off his cap, respectfully said, 



"Master's compliments, Mr. , and hopes you will be 



now satisfied this donH belong to a vixen''' His friends could not 

 restrain their laughter at James's demure but wicked look, as he 

 tendered his crec/e?t)!i«/s. Out it came, "Ha! ha! ha! capital! 

 he has you now, doctor." The old gentleman was furious, but 

 Jim skipped back in a trice to assist at the orgies. So much for 

 ]Mr. Slowman's day. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Eeputation tIiroii<?laout the neighbourhood— Sport in Mr. Slo-mnan's country 

 continued — The "Artftd Dodger" out-manoeuvred — New method of 

 bolting foxes — A burst and a scramble — Hounds over-runnuig their foxes 

 — A cast forward not the most likely to recover the scent — Case in point- 

 Bob and his friend — Casualties at a brook — Treeing foxes — Terriers in a 

 drain — Loss of a couple of hounds for ten days, and their extraordinary 

 recovery. 



OuE sayings and doings having made rather a noise in the 

 country, and it being spread abroad that the strangers were to 

 be at Burton Gate on Friday, every animal, from a mule to a 



