The Master of the Teviotdale. 2 1 



vein, and blowing into it, when she died with a hearty- 

 nicker in her nostrils. The one-eyed thorough-bred 

 mare has been disposed of long since. Her original 

 price was thirty shillings, because no one could get on 

 her back, and the Doctor consistently reached that 

 proud elevation up to the day of her death by a 

 series of flying jumps on the blind off-side. He 

 has a capital harness mare, looking like a hunter, 

 which wont ride a yard, and never will. It once took 

 three and a half hours to do two miles on her, and her 

 rider only effected that by sitting down on her, and 

 working the journey tail foremost — the only way in 

 which she will go under a saddle, although she will 

 kneel, and take quite naturally to hanky-panky tricks. 

 The Doctor takes the precaution of having his harness 

 made throughout with spring hooks so that if he has 

 an accident he can hold the horse with the left hand, 

 and set it free with the right. 



There are about five otter hounds, eight Dandies, 

 and Billy in the pack ; but there is nothing the 

 Doctor relies on more than Slash the Labrador, with 

 his jet-black coat and his fine grey muzzle. This 

 warrior came from Broadwith's, and hunted with the 

 Doctor for many a season before he was " reduced into 

 possession." He was helping in night-work at the 

 same time ; but it became at last dangerous to take 

 him out, as he could wind a poacher at any distance, 

 and his growls of linked sweetness long drawn out, 

 when they held him " for fear of murder," told too 

 much. Hence the Doctor, to his great joy, was al- 

 lowed to take him home, and he has become a groom 

 of the bedchamber. Slash believes in no dog — not 

 excepting Ringwood — unless he has felt at the spot 

 for himself. Hunting alone is his delight, and he is 

 always questing either up or down stream, yards apart 

 from the body of the pack. He quarters the stream 

 just like a setter dog after partridges — sometimes with 

 his nose right under the water, and his head on one 



