COLDSTREAM TO HAWICK. 177 



able ^^ Sanderson^s Biily^' to take the general super- 

 intendence. "^ Ringwood was the biggest blackguard 

 of the lot." He cost 30s., and arrived late one 

 night. Before breakfast next morning, he had bitten 

 a friend of the Doctor's, the Doctor, and the 

 Doctor's servant-girl, and it " wasn't homoeopathic 

 biting either.'' The Doctor was bitten again after 

 breakfast, and at intervals during the first week on 

 every conceivable part of his person ; and if he had 

 not kept the dog tied up in his bed-room, nothing 

 short of a charwoman in chain-armour could have 

 ventured Avithin his doors. At length, being wearied 

 out of this fierce ivory bondage, he dragged the rebel 

 down-stairs, and fought a most bloody Aliwal, 

 Moodkee, and Ferozeshah with him on three succes- 

 sive afternoons in a loose box, which ended in a 

 Ringwood treaty for peace, and the entire devotion 

 of his young life to otters. It must be in token of 

 this vow of submission that the Doctor has had him 

 photographed for us at his feet, with the handle of 

 the hunting-whip across his neck, and in the illus- 

 trious fellowship of Billy, " Shammy," and Royal. 

 He is the sire of Bugle, from one of Sir Harry Vane's 

 sort, vv^iich inherits his grand qualities, and took to 

 the drag at thirteen months. There is still some of 

 the old leaven in him, and he was the only one that 

 refused to come out of his prescriptive corner when 

 the kennel huntsman was sent into the Van Amburgh 

 sort of cage where they reside. The suggestive 

 tones of the Doctor (who never uses a whip to any of 



2 N 



