keeper and dogs to Harrogate with us for the night. We therefore left the ground early, and drove to the village where we thought our man was staying. We drew both the beerhouses blank, and were wondering what to do, when up came a man from our own part of the country, who told us that he had advised the keeper to clear out of the village, and that he (the keeper) had gone to another village, quite four miles away, and much further from the coursing ground. 'That's all right,' we thought, and we journeyed to Harrogate, feeling quite reassured, and much pleased that our man had had the good sense to adopt his neighbour's suggestion.
Next morning the local paper showed us that our pair had been well backed at the calling over of the card overnight, and doubtless the crowd had been impressed with the style in which they had won their first courses. It was a glorious morning, and our spirits rose high as we neared the end of our journey, but went down to zero again as we caught sight of Mr. Keeper's face on the platform. He looked as if he was going to be hung, and at once we guessed that something had happened. 'Where are the dogs?' we shouted. 'In the cab,' he replied; 'but they've been poisoned in the night, and I wish they'd poisoned me too.'
