CHAPTER XII 



THE GROOM — CONTINUED 





^s^si^x^^^i 



HE sagacity both of hounds 

 and horses in the matter of 

 hunting is truly astonishing, 

 and we hardly know to 

 which to yield the pre- 

 ference. It is an imdoubted 

 fact that many of what are 

 called trencher-fed hounds, 

 learn to know the hunting 



days, and will sit at the 

 doors listening for the summoning horn, or travel to the 

 usual place of meeting by themselves. An old hunter knows 

 just as well as his Groom the preparations that indicate the 

 coming chase, and is as delighted as ever he can be. Shorten- 

 ing the suppi)- of water is one of the usual concomitants, but 

 if a horse was left to himself, he would ne\er drink more than 

 he ought. \\"e mean if he was left to his own discretion 

 entirely, with a constant supply of water within reach. Of 

 course when he only gets it at stated intervals, and then 

 oftentimes less than he would like, he acquires a greedy 

 sort of swallow, that hurries it down as quickly as possible. 



