148 



THE TKINITY FOOT BEAGLES 



parsons at least will keep up their sport, both for their own sakes 

 and to shame those who seem to regard sport as not "nice for a 

 clergyman," for no better reason apparently than that it is not 

 sufficiently effeminate ! 



It is, however, time to return to Bob, as I actually did return to 

 him several times before I could gain a second interview, as, like 

 Baal, he was often otherwise engaged. He had gone on a journey 

 to Eeigate, or an ex-Master had come up and hounds were being 

 paraded for his inspection, or some of " the gentlemen," as Mrs. 

 rioate calls the Master and Whips, had taken hounds out to exercise 

 and come back without " Guilty," and so Bob was gone out into the 

 byways of the Histon Koad to look for her. At one time Bob was 



"Full Cry." 

 Drawn by C. de M. Grant in T.F.B.C. Book. 



ill. His digestion was, I believe, more or less seriously deranged, 

 and this, no doubt, was the reason why the scheme of his coming 

 out to dinner came to nothing. However, at last I found him free, 

 and we went down to "the field" to see the new puppies and to 

 provoke Bob to talk. I had high hopes of the promised tales of 

 Mr. A. and Mr. B. " what nobody couldn't ever believe, sir ! " — so 

 high that I felt sure they would have to be anonymous ; but they 

 were really of the " big gooseberry " order, and Bob did not tell them, 

 so depressing is the influence of a disordered stomach, with anything 

 like his former spirit which he showed when discoursing of jackdaws 

 and greengage jam. Neither Mr. A. nor Mr. B. had done anything 

 worthy of fine, imprisonment, or rustication, or which would have 

 been libellous had it been here given under their names. But both 

 of them had in their day had Bob and the hounds down for the 

 vacation. 



