186 WITH HOUND AND TERRIEE. 



began sniffing too, and then tried to climb up the 

 tree. I gave Nettle a helping hand and up she 

 went, and there, hidden in the ivy some six feet 

 from the top of the bank, was bunny. Down he 

 and Nettle tumbled together, and the eager little 

 pack, who were now swarming round the foot of 

 the tree, soon made short work of the former. But 

 for Whankey's cleverness we should never have had 

 this rabbit, and it is the only instance I have ever 

 known of a rabbit taking refuge in a tree. 



Whankey was a great traveller, and for ten 

 years she went everywhere with me except when 

 I went to London. Then she was left at home, 

 and as soon as she found I had gone without her 

 she would go to my bedroom and never leave it 

 except when she was taken out by force. Her joy 

 when she heard my voice on my return was so 

 great, poor little thing, that on one occasion she 

 nearly had a fit. One journey with her I shall 

 never forget. She used to lie under my cloak in 

 the train and never stirred till I told her it was 

 time to get out. On this day the carriage was 

 very full, but Whankey, hidden under the cloak, 

 had the seat opposite to mine. Presently I was 

 horrified to see a very stout man in the act of 

 sitting down on her, and I seized him by the arm 

 with such energy that he was quite as much 

 alarmed as I was. A few words, of course, ex- 

 plained matters, and while Whankey found a 

 resting-place on my lap, the new-comer, though 

 rather resentful of the fright he said I had given 



