288 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



modern," he explained. Now wasn't that honest ? 

 Phenomenally so, I think. '"This," a very clever 

 replica of the old fairing, would take in anyone 

 except a real expert, and is now made by the 

 thousand weekly on purpose to deceive. I 

 thought I would mention Mr Pyke to favourable 

 notice. You don't often come across a sort like 

 this. 



What do you say to a smart, sharp little 

 silky Yorkshire terrier making believe to manage 

 a herd of dairy cows, just for all the world as if 

 he was a drover's dog brought up to the business 

 and put in command ? You wouldn't stand that 

 yarn, would you, unless you saw the creature 

 acting as described ? Quite natural, too, to be 

 doubtful. Still, I assure you, I did meet with 

 the tike, and a good tiny sportsman chap he is 

 too, who could live comfortably with a large 

 quart pot for his kennel. That was at Freshford, 

 between Bradford and Bath, about where the 

 Avon is joined by the Frome, and is so very 

 pretty. For the matter of that, so is the canal, 

 which I recommend to entomologists as a profit- 

 able hunting-ground. Always a beautiful stretch 

 of country, this Avon valley is particularly 

 attractive with the fruit trees and the forest trees 

 in flower, everything brand new and free from all 

 mark of wear, and the meadows and woods 

 carpeted with flowers. I should have lost badly 

 over said blossoms had anyone taken me on and 

 offered to bet I did not name what made a bank 

 white by the acre. Wood anemones, I should 

 have said, and bet, too. But nary an anemone 

 was there, only *'ramson" by the acre. Though 

 pretty to look at, this is not so nice all round, 

 seeing that the stem smells about twice as strong 

 of onion as garlic can. 



