The letter to Mr Jawstock was of course brought forward. Another
meeting at The Bobtailed Fox was convened. But in the meantime
hunting had been discontinued in the Runnymede country. The Major
with all his pluck, with infinite cherry brandy, could not do it.
Men who had a few weeks since been on very friendly terms, and who
had called each other Dick and Harry when the squabble first
began, were now talking of 'punching' each other's heads. Special
whips had been procured by men who intended to ride, and special
bludgeons by the young farmers who intended that nobody should
ride as long as Major Tifto kept the hounds. It was said that the
police would interfere. It was whispered that the hounds would be
shot,--though Mr Topps, Mr Jawstock, and others declared that no
crime so heinous as that had ever been contemplated in the
Runnymede country.
The difficulties were too many for poor Tifto, and the hounds were
not brought out again under his influence.
A second meeting was summoned, and an invitation was sent to the
Major similar to that which he had before received;--but on this
occasion he did not appear.
Pages:
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786