CAPTAIN SHABBYHOUNDE 269 



Away for the Shuckborough hills, and Merston Priors, and 

 across to Ladbrooke Gorse, where the hounds killed their fox, 

 or another, which did quite as well, ere our friends had time 

 to finish their confab. Once indeed 



" They met, 'twas in a crowd," 



the majority of whom were craning at a wide brook, and as 

 Shabbyhounde and Milksop beat simultaneously on the oppo- 

 site bank, the former flourishing his whip, exclaimed in joyous 

 exultation at the feat, " Not a sweeter tempered horse in the 

 world, by God ! " but a paralyzing bullfinch immediately inter- 

 vening, stopped all further intercourse, and they saw no more 

 of each other till the end of the run. Not that either of them 

 shirked the bullfinch, but they got through at different places, 

 and it is much easier to part company than get together in a 

 run. The pace was severe. Quickest thing that ever was 

 seen ! All quick things are. Every season furnishes a bushel 

 of them. "A fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind," they 

 say, and in no case is the truth of the adage more strongly 

 exemplified than among foxhunters. 



We often think if Frenchmen had a turn for hunting, what 

 hugging and kissing there would be on a kill ! 



Shabbyhounde and Milksop had each " gone a good-un," 

 and some time was consumed in discussing the delightful 

 variety and size of the leaps ere Mr. Milksop again bethought 

 him of recurring to Lambkin. 



Shabbyhounde assured him he was the most perfect tem- 

 pered horse he had ever had in his stable, and though it would 

 be going out of his way, he offered to accompany Mr. Milksop 

 to Dunchurch to prove it. 



:;: :;; O * * * 



Had Lambkin been troubled with hydrophobia, he could 

 not have been more tightly secured than they found him. 

 Tied short up to the rack, and hoppled both before and 

 behind. 



