THE POINTER 
table, without the least covert; the sun was shining so brightly that 
imagination could readily lead to the belief that a beetle could be seen 
a hundred yards away. It was not a big field, and the wind was coming on 
in the right quarter. The bitches were cast off. No one quite knew which 
was the faster till they got together. Neck and neck they raced alongside, 
each doing her best. Then Baby drew out and left her friend, who, finding 
herself outpaced (for the first time in her life), wheeled about and took an 
independent beat. Baby completed her cast to the fence, took fresh ground, 
got the wind in her teeth, and was soon swiftly coming up the field as 
fast as a swallow, and as prettily. She overtook Revel, once more inviting 
her to test her pace, which she did; but, finding it ‘ no go,’ again turned 
sulkily away, and went on her own errand. The crowd marvelled at the 
speed of Baby — for she was very small and of that black or blue mottled 
variety — and looked on with astonishment to see how Revel ‘ chucked 
the sponge,’ her sulkiness at being outpaced increasing as the trial went 
on. 
“ Presently Baby, coming up the field with the wind in her favour, 
on reaching the centre, pulled up as in a cloud of dust, and stood like a 
statue, attitudinizing like a stage dancer, her neck outstretched, her 
stern poised stiffly, her toes hardly touching the earth, her whole form 
quivering. Never was there a more earnest point. But what was it ? There 
lay the field, shining and shimmering like a newly-rolled onion bed; 
not a vestige and not the chance of anything being on it without being 
seen. Mr Brown pulled up in an attitude almost as stagey as the bitch. 
He had complete confidence in her; but her owner afterwards said he 
doubted the scent, and thought that perhaps Baby saw something. There 
she stood as Revel, a clever, sensible bitch, came galloping up behind 
her. She took in the position, came upon Baby’s tracks, gave a slight 
jerk, half intending to acknowledge the point, and then, slowing down, 
passed her opponent, who never budged an inch. Revel moved about in 
front in a half hesitating way, and lo! to the surprise of everybody, up 
got a brace of birds about fifty yards on the left front. Mr Brown, of course, 
claimed them for his bitch, and everybody thought she had behaved very 
well, and Revel very badly. 
“ The latter was brought back; but Baby stood on, stood still, no flinch- 
ing, no dropping when the birds had risen — there stood she, stiffer than 
ever, and, if possible, more in the air. You could almost see daylight 
under her feet. Her handler, his heart never in doubt, began to regard 
219 
