'' THE MERRY HARRIERS." 41 



we marclied out of the room, down the stairs, and 

 went in search of our horses, most of which were 

 being led about, for the early comers had occu- 

 pied all the stalls. Wetherby said it was the sort 

 of thing one had to say at such a time, and asked 

 whether it did not sound all right ; and I 

 admitted that it was worthy of the occasion. 

 Mr. Cobb, however, responded to the effect that 

 he would not detain them with a long speech. 

 (Cordial applause.) He would only say that when 

 he heard a pack of harriers would be welcome to 

 his friends he had gone and got some, and he 

 hoped he should use the dogs to their satis- 

 faction. 



The short address was well received ; young 

 gentlemen who had breakfasted too much already 

 topped up with a glass of sherry ; soon we 

 were all in the saddle inspecting the hounds, 

 which were brought up as we arrived, and poor 

 Cobb grew sadly confused as his friends favour- 

 ably criticised the make and shape of various 

 animals, discussing points in them which Cobb 

 never knew they possessed. His final discom- 

 fiture was brought about when a visitor from the 

 garrison town, by way of saying something civil, 

 asked how that lemon and white one was bred ? 

 Thereupon, affecting not to hear, Cobb trotted 

 off on his steady-going hack, which had already 



