318 FIELD AND HEDGEROW. 
a wall at the side of the house. These oars looked like 
fragments of a wreck, broken and irregular. The right- 
hand scull was heavy, as if made of ironwood, the blade 
broad and spoon-shaped, so as to have a most powerful 
grip of the water. The Jeft-hand scull was light and 
slender, with a narrow blade like a marrow scoop; so 
when you had the punt, you had to pull very hard with 
your left hand and gently with the right to get the 
forces equal. The punt had a list of its own, and no 
matter how you rowed, it would still make leeway. 
Those who did not know its character were perpetually 
trying to get this crooked wake straight, and conse- 
quently went round and round exactly like the whirligig 
beetle. Those who knew used to let the leeway proceed 
a good way and then alter it, so as to act in the other 
direction like an elongated zigzag. These sculls the old 
fellow would bring you as if they were great treasures, 
and watch you off in the punt as if he was parting with 
his dearest. At that date it was no little matter to coax 
him round to unchain his vessel. You had to take an 
interest in the garden, in the baits, and the weather, and 
be very humble; then perhaps he would tell you he did 
not want it for the trimmers, or the withy, or the flags, 
and you might have it for an hour as far as he could 
see; ‘did not think my lord’s steward would come over 
that morning ; of course, if he did you must come in,’ 
and so on; and if the stars were propitious, by-and-by 
the punt was got afloat. These sculls were tilted up 
against the wall, and as you innocently went to take 
one, Wauw !—a dirty little ill-tempered mongrel poodle 
rolled himself like a ball to your heels and snapped his 
teeth—Wauw! At the bark, out rushed the old lady, 
his housekeeper, shouting in the shrillest key to the dog 
to lie still, and to you that the bailiff would be there in 
