124 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



going on, and they were looking at and admiring 

 the beauties of the stately river, a large salmon 

 leaped clean out of the water, as if on pui-pose to 

 amuse or to tantahse them. Whereupon a gentle- 

 man present asked his Grace if it would give him 

 pleasure to have a throw with a fly for such a fish. 

 His fit reply might well be a source of satisfaction 

 and pleasure to all who hunt in countries where his 

 Grace has property. 



" To tell the truth I care Uttle for that kind of 

 sport ; but, as to the other, I am never perfectly 

 happy unless I have on a red coat." 



All at length left the place exceedingly annoyed 

 that the terrier, the hero of the former day, had not 

 been with them. Probably the bargain for him 

 was not completed, and consequently I escaped. 



Wishing to return to my old haunts, I had got 

 as far as a covert called the Hirsel, belonging to 

 Lord Home, where I had not been long when one 

 day I heard two reports, which turned out to be 

 from the keeper's gun, discharged at two innocent 

 young fox-hound puppies, thus dehberately 

 butchered for having strayed by chance from the 

 hospitable home of the kind mistress whose pets 

 they were, and whose gentle care and caresses they 

 had so often enjoyed. You will not be surprised 



