ere will be more danger to yourself in the hunt than
there will be to him. It's a well-known fact that it was your mother's
severity to his family that made a tory of him; and, as I said before, I
would strongly recommend you to avoid him. How many bloodhounds have you
got?"

"Why, I think we can muster half a dozen."

"Ay, but do you know how to hunt them?"

"Not exactly; but I suppose we may depend upon the instinct of the
dogs."

"No, sir, you may not, unless to a very limited extent. Those tories
always, when pursued by bloodhounds, go down the wind whenever it is
possible, and, consequently, leave very little trail behind them. Your
object will be, of course, to hunt them against the wind; they will
consequently have little chance of escape, unless, as they are often in
the habit of doing, they administer a sop."

"What is a sop, my lord?"

"A piece of raw beef or mutton, kept for twenty-four hours under the
armpit until it becomes saturated with the moisture of the body; after
this, administer it to the dog, and instead of attacking he will follow
you over the world. The other sop resorted to by these fellows is the
middogue, or skean, and, as they contrive to manage its application, it
is the surer of the two. Should you like to see Tom?"

"Unquestionably, my lord. I intended before going to have requested the
honor of a short interview."

"Ay, of course, to make love. Well, I tell you that Tom, like her
uncle, has her wits about her. Go up, then, you will find her in the
withdrawing-room; and listen--I desire that you will tell her of your
tory-hunting project, and ask her opinion upon it. Now, don't forget
that, because I will make inquiries about it."

Woodward certainly found her in what was then termed the
withdrawing-room. She was in the act of embroidering, and received him
with much courtesy and kindness.

"I hope your mother and family are all well, Mr. Woodward," she said;
"as for your sister Maria she is quite a stay-at-home. Does she ever
visit any one at all?"

"Very rarely, indeed, Miss Riddle: but I think she will soon do herself
the pleasure of calling upon you."

"I shall feel much obliged, Mr. Woodward. From what I have heard, and
the little I have seen of her, a most amiable girl You have had a chat
with my kind-hearted, but eccentric uncle?"

"I have; and he imposed it on me as a condition that I should mention to
you an enterprise on which I am bent."

"An enterprise! Pray,