Devon Stag-hounds. 25 



towards home ; they were the Master and the 

 himtsman. The former, on being asked what 

 wonki become of the honnds, quietly replied, 

 '^ Oh ! they'll find their way back to the ken- 

 nel in the course of a day or two ; this sort 

 of thing often happens.'' Very likely it did, 

 for it was evidently impossible for any horse 

 in the world to keep with stag-hounds in such 

 runs as that. 



Soon after his return from Devonshii'e Mr. 

 Smith's prospects were changed greatly for 

 the better. He had been requested by a 

 friend to yisit a kennel at East Meon, where 

 there was a pack of fox-hounds which were 

 expected to be shortly for sale, in consequence 

 of the death of the owner. On leaving the 

 kennel they met two ladies : one of whom was 

 the clergyman's wife, and a friend of Mr. 

 Smith's family ; the other lady was the mdow 

 of the Master of Hounds. The usual intro- 

 ductions were followed by an acquaintance, 

 and at the end of the year the lady became 



