132 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



the hill. I turned back to the water ; but the 

 terriers could make nothing of it, and as I 

 watched them I felt more than ever convinced 

 that the missing terriers were on the right track. 

 After a lono^ search I found the truants in a 

 ditch at the mouth of a trip, both severely 

 marked but triumphant. Their otter was dead. 

 They had carried the line correctly for more than 

 a mile, till he had taken refuge in the trip, where 

 the final struggle had come off, and from which 

 he had been dragged before any one came up. 

 The otter weighed 14 lb., and had evidently 

 fought hard. 



A day or two later all the terriers were out 

 again with the exception of Antic, who had a 

 swollen head, and was in consequence left in 

 kennel. We found a very fine otter near Hazle- 

 bury, and killed him after a good two hours' 

 hunt. Several of the terriers caught him single- 

 handed ; but in every case they were dragged 

 under the water, and had to release their hold. 

 Jubilee distinguished herself by holding on to 

 the otter's tail and being towed down-stream for 

 a considerable distance ; but at last she too dis- 

 appeared under water, and came up gasping. 



This proved a very exciting day, as in addition 

 to the otter we also accounted for a hare and a 

 polecat. The former jumped up in full view when 

 we were on our way to the stream close by Hazle- 

 bury mill-pond, and the seven couple getting well 

 away and led by Arno, the fastest terrier in the 



