DEVON AND SOMERSET. 51 



then, finding his strength faihng him, crossed 

 the fields of Halse farm and came down dead 

 beat to the back of the village and rushed into 

 the premises at the rear of the hostelry. As the 

 leading hounds closed in, he essayed to scale a 

 low and convenient roof, but slipping back, 

 made the best of his way to the back entrance 

 of the inn, and there in a gloomy passage 

 encountered a waitress bearing a tray of glasses. 

 Curious to relate, the tray was not dropped, 

 and the stag seeing an open doorway, passed 

 into the best sitting room which was prepared 

 for guests, while the ready witted Hebe closed 

 the door. Thus trapped, the stag was easily 

 secured, the field watching the proceedings 

 through the narrow window panes. The Wins- 

 ford villagers have been born and bred amongst 

 the deer, they are never far away from their 

 sight and thoughts, and they are always anxious 

 that, on their great day of the year, a warrant- 

 able stag should be forthcoming, and if possible 

 should be induced to break from the silent 

 recesses of Burrow Wood and should cross the 

 ferny slopes at the foot of the Devil's Punch- 

 bowl, where the assembled field of horse, 

 foot and carriage folk may look down from the 

 heights above and get a bird's-eye view of the 

 whole affair. Old stags, however, are most 

 peculiar in their likes and dislikes, and not un- 

 frequently, alter harbouring in a particular covert 



