le. A
mild man he was, too, when out of his saddle, and one by no means
disposed to assume special supremacy. But a master of hounds, if he
have long held the country,--and Sir William had held his for more
than thirty years,--obtains a power which that of no other potentate
can equal. He may say and do what he pleases, and his tyranny is
always respected. No conspiracy against him has a chance of success;
no sedition will meet with sympathy;--that is, if he be successful
in showing sport. If a man be sworn at, abused, and put down without
cause, let him bear it and think that he has been a victim for the
public good. And let him never be angry with the master. That rough
tongue is the necessity of the master's position. They used to say
that no captain could manage a ship without swearing at his men.
But what are the captain's troubles in comparison with those of the
master of hounds? The captain's men are under discipline, and can be
locked up, flogged, or have their grog stopped. The master of hounds
cannot stop the grog of any offender, and he can only stop the
tongue, or horse, of such an one by very sharp words.

"Well, Pollock, when did you come?" said Maxwell.

"By George," said the literary gentleman, "just down from London by
the 8.30 from Euston Square, and got over here from Winslow in a
trap, with two fellows I never saw in my life before. We came tandem
in a fly, and did the nineteen miles in an hour."

"Come, Athenian, draw it mild," said Maxwell.

"We did, indeed. I wonder whether they'll pay me their share of the
fly. I had to leave Onslow Crescent at a quarter before eight, and I
did three hours' work before I started."

"Then you did it by candle-light," said Grindley.

"Of course I did; and why shouldn't I? Do you suppose no one can work
by candle-light except a lawyer? I suppose you fellows were playing
whist, and drinking hard. I'm uncommon glad I wasn't with you, for I
shall be able to ride."

"I bet you a pound," said Jones, "if there's a run, I see more of it
than you."

"I'll take that bet with Jones," said Grindley, "and Vavasor shall be
the judge."

"Gentlemen, the hounds can't get out, if you will stop up the gate,"
said Sir William. Then the pack passed through, and they all trotted
on for four miles, to Cranby Wood.

Vavasor, as he rode on to the wood, was alone, or speaking, from time
to time, a few words to his servant. "I'll ride the chestnut mare in
the wood," he said, "a