no MISPLACED ENTHUSIASM 



of the young hopes of the pack began throwing their 

 tongues right merrily. Hearing no old hounds joining 

 them, I began rating, knowing there was some mischief 

 going on ; but, to my horror, that conceited fool Dick 

 set to work cheering with might and main, causing some 

 of the one-seasoned hunters to mix in the fray, and in 

 ten minutes, before I could cross over from my side of 

 the hill, Dick was away, with all the young hounds, racing 

 over the open with a deer before them, which they ran 

 for nearly an hour, through some other large coverts, 

 before I could get up with them ; when, dropping the 

 huntsman, I was obliged to enact the part of whipper-in, 

 and dashing in among the delinquents in some short 

 underwood, I soon spoiled their fun, and seizing one of 

 the most riotous by the hind leg, the wood soon re-echoed 

 with his cries, and he never forgot the chastisement then 

 administered ; and if I had met Dick at this moment, 

 the odds were in favour of his getting a double thonging 

 also, but that cautious individual took especial care to 

 keep clear of the row. As a first whip, however, he proved 

 so utterly powerless, that I soon parted with him, and 

 he descended to a second place, from which he never 

 possessed sufficient talent to raise himself. 



