FALKIRK TO EDINBURGH. 55 



have been in the morning it was invariably " a cocket 

 one^'' at the finish. If there had been a very good 

 run^ he would stop at Winchborongh with David 

 Brown for two days to discuss it. When the two 

 days were out, his attendants came with a cart and 

 blankets, and took him peacefully to his farm, with 

 his hunter tied behind the cart. Dr. Liston was a 

 capital sportsman, both on this and the Buccleuch 

 side of the country, and '' knew Tom fine.^^ Tinker 

 was his best horse, but he turned a roarer, and the 

 operation on his windpipe availed him nothing. Eor 

 nine seasons the Rocket horse was Tom RintouFs 

 crack, and he rode him three times in one day over 

 the Lead Hills near Tinto, and killed three foxes. 

 He had one of his finest runs from West Craigs, be- 

 yond Bathgate, eighteen miles straight, and killed 

 in a wash-house near Denney. Craigie Hill and 

 Barr Hill were once grand places to work up the 

 young* uns; but never a whimper is heard among 

 their gorse and whins now. Lee Castle had also 

 strong covers in those days ; but now, as Stracey 

 says, " you might as loell run through this room ; you 

 can see every rahbit in it.'' Once on a time, Tom 

 gave fourteen couple of the entry such a lesson in it 

 for twelve hours that they required no more teaching. 

 There had been some disagreement between the 

 keepers and one of them as a safety-valve for his 

 wrath, opened the earths as fast as the other stopped 

 them, and upwards of seven brace of foxes were 

 about. 



