TERRIERS AT WORK. 53 



stump, I watched the performance, while the 

 old man related anecdotes of his favourites, and 

 assured me he could never have done what he 

 did with them except for their home-training. 

 It was a common saying of his that you could 

 teach more in kennel than out^ and with this 

 opinion I cordially agree. 



Perhaps the most curious part of that orchard 

 scene was to come, for Press after a time rose 

 and passed slowly back to the kennels, with the 

 hounds following. Throwing open one of the 

 doors, he turned, and eyeing the hounds sternly, 

 he raised his hand, and to my great amuse- 

 ment exclaimed in his gruff voice, " Ladies first." 

 At this signal every " lady " with a little wave 

 of her stern trotted forward and went in, and 

 as soon as all had disappeared the door was 

 shut, not a dog-hound in the meantime offer- 

 ing to follow. As he threw open the other 

 door Press called out, " Now then, gentlemen," 

 and the dog-hounds marched majestically in. 



This incident recalled to my mind a day in 

 the previous season when I had also been struck 

 with Press's perfect control over his hounds. 

 We had run a fox to ground in a trip ^ by 

 the side of the road near Bishop's Caundle, and 

 when the whipper-in put the terrier in at one 

 end. Press took up his position some little 

 distance down the road at the other. He sat 

 quietly with the pack grouped round him, and 



' A drain under a gate. 



