BLUE BONNETS " OVER THE BORDEr/' 179 



or two will make tliem so. Those hounds that, as 

 you observe, are not putting a nose near the 

 ground, saw me hold up my hat, or perceived the 

 Master at once come off to us (gently as he did 

 it), or found the Huntsman drawing them in a 

 different direction to that he was before taking, 

 and are quite aware of what any of these ma- 

 noeuvres means. But besides the wish of givino- 

 the hare proper Law, if hounds were at once 

 trotted off, as fox- hounds are, to a halloo or 

 signal, they would always be looking out for 

 something of the sort, instead of trying to find 

 game themselves; they would become wild and 

 impatient, which would render them worthless as 

 harriers. Now they are coming close on the 

 place. You see the rush that hound made to it ; 

 now he throws his tongue; he has it. 'Yoi 

 there, Bluecap ! that's it, old boy. Hoik, toge- 

 ther, hoik ! ' Now, as Somerville has it, ' how 

 musical their tongues.' Away they go, close as a 

 peck of peas in a sieve ; they take that low hedge 

 in their swing, like fox-hounds. It is a peculiar fea- 

 ture with these, they never creep where they can 

 jump, if scent lies high and they are sure of it." 



"But,'' said my friend, "they are running 

 away from us." 



" Never fear," said I ; " she has made for that 

 plantation on the hill : while they rattle her through 

 it, we will trot up; here is again one of the plea- 



N 2 



