all fee the Master was enabled to take Finn and
Kathleen away from the Show much earlier on that evening than
before, and a few hours later they were all three being welcomed at
home by the Mistress of the Kennels and Tara. Tara, by the way, was
hardly able to spare time for a remark at first; she was so busy
sniffing all round Finn and Kathleen, and reading for herself the
sort of record of their recent adventures which their coats and her
delicate sense of smell provided. The three hounds dined
sumptuously, and in a row, while the Master and the Mistress sat
before them fighting their battles over again and discussing their
triumph in the show-ring. Then, the night being fine, the three
were allowed to wander out into the orchard for a quarter of an
hour or so before going to bed. The Master remained in his den
talking.

Directly Tara reached the orchard she barked out loud, "Who's
there?"--an unmistakable sort of bark one would have thought. But
the Master was pretty thoroughly tired, and, perhaps, the fact that
he was chatting with the Mistress prevented his understanding
Tara's bark. At all events, he paid no heed to it. Tara promptly
trotted across to the gate between the orchard and the open down,
followed closely by Finn and Kathleen. There, much to Finn's
delight, they found the friendly stranger of the Show. Tara eyed
the man with hauteur, as one whose acquaintance she had not made.
Kathleen remained modestly in the background. Finn, with lively
recollections of the peculiarly savoury meat which the stranger
dealt in, placed his fore-paws, on the top of the gate, and lolled
his tongue at the man in friendly greeting. The man gave Finn a
provokingly tiny fragment of the savoury meat, and rubbed the young
hound's ears in the coaxing way he had. Then he stepped back a pace
or two, and produced a large piece of the meat.

"Here, boy! Here, Finn! Jump, then, Finn!" The gate was less than
five feet high, and the seductive odour of this peculiar meat
floated just beyond it in the still night air. Finn drew back a
pace or two, and then, with a beautiful spring, cleared the gate
easily. While giving Finn the piece of meat he had been holding,
the man slipped a swivel on to the ring of the handsome green
collar, and attached to the swivel there was a strong leather lead.
The man moved on slowly, with another piece of meat in his hand,
and Finn paced with him, willingly enough. When Finn had finished
the next piece o