The Master of the Teviotdalc. 19 



memory with the Doctor. " When Broadwith could 

 iind no vermin for him he killed collies on the spot — 

 he had such destructive power — he suffered very 

 much at last ; I tapped him twice, and took away 

 about 160 ounces of fluid in all." He left more 

 daughters than sons behind him ; and the former more 

 especially followed him in colour. Teddy, his son, 

 is quite as determined with otters, and by dint of 

 practice as artistic as himself, though he is not quite 

 so heavy. 



The badgers needed no close borough of their own 

 amid all this yard confusion, as they were all poisoned 

 that summer on one and the self-same night. They 

 would catch rats like a dog, as the vermin stole to 

 their feeding trough in " the sweet moonshine ; " but 

 they killed and ate one too many. A poisoned rat 

 came among the rest, and all three seemed to have 

 partaken of him, as they were found curled up stiff 

 and dead in one tub. The Doctor had no idea that 

 poisoning was in process next door, or he would 

 have adopted his usual preventive of feeding up the 

 out-lying terriers and the badgers, so that they would 

 not eat their spoil. He mourned sadly over the big 

 badger, as nearly every terrier in the place had been 

 highly tried with him in his time. This badger main- 

 tained the very pleasantest relations with the stable- 

 boy and servant-girl, who cleaned him out and fed 

 him. Let but the Doctor appear, and he growled 

 fearfully, and as often as not tried to break through 

 his iron poker guard, and have a touch at his learned 

 legs. He was quite different in attitude and expres- 

 sion when one of the Doctor's wire-haired brigade 

 went in, and he would at once entrench himself in a 

 corner, " to receive cavalry," knowing right well what 

 to expect. If it was merely a stranger he scorned 

 such work, and went in for a merry ding-dong, which 

 soon settled matters. A very expensive brace were 

 so heavily beaten in their trial, that their disgusted 



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