SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 69 



might be seen under' the shade of the trees, indus- 

 triously smoothing down any rough hairs on the 

 hounds' coats. Upon one occasion, when returning 

 home, we found, to our surprise, a favourite hound 

 chained up outside the kennel to one of the puppy- 

 houses. 



" Why," we asked, indignantly, " have you 

 treated Bondsman in this manner?" 



" Because, sir, he pulled me down in the kennel 

 one day, amongst the other hounds ; and but for 

 the feeder running in to my rescue, I might have 

 been torn to pieces." 



" And broken you up like a fox, eh ?" we added, 

 with a laugh. " But now for the whole truth ; 

 you struck that hound with the whip when there 

 was no occasion for it, and you ought to know by 

 this time that our hounds won't put up with that 

 from anybody, except on horseback." 



" Well, sir, I ought not to have done it perhaps ; 

 but he was snarling and growling with Draco, and 

 to stop a row, I gave him a cut on the back, and 

 the next moment he sprang at me like a tiger, 

 seized the collar of my coat, and had me down 

 before I hardly knew what he was about." 



" He gave you a clever back fall, that's all. 

 Did he attempt to bite or worry you when 

 down ? " 



" No, sir, walked away, as Tom said, with his 

 stern well up, looking as if nothing had happened ; 

 but then, sir, you know the other hounds might 

 have taken advantage of me." 



