nnected with two things only: the unexpected rising
of a rabbit ahead, and the new game in which Finn had been led
round a ring with Tara and Kathleen in the orchard at home. And, to
be sure, there was the Mistress of the Kennels looking on all the
time, and Finn and the Master walking round, and other dogs, and----

And it was thus that Finn passed a Judge at a dog show for the
first time. It was thus that he realized that it was a show; that
he, Finn, was being judged, compared with others of his kind. From
that moment Finn showed the best that was in him to show, with an
air as kingly as that of any of his warrior ancestors in the
ancient days when they were the friends and defenders of kings, the
companions in sport of great chieftains. When next Finn approached
the Judge in the march round, the Master touched his flank, and he
rose up to his full towering height, his fore-paws higher than a
man's head, and the Master pretended to rebuke him with: "Down,
Finn! Down, you rascal!" But Finn knew well, by his tone, that all
was well, and his own appearance most imposing. The Judge, in the
centre of the ring, chewed the end of his pencil reflectively, and
now and again he said, "That will do, thank you!" to some
exhibitor, and that exhibitor withdrew from the ring with his
hound, wearing an elaborately assumed air of indifference or
relief, and feeling much real chagrin. Occasionally the Judge would
merely wave his hand for the same purpose, with a nod to some
particular exhibitor.

During about the fifth or sixth march round the Judge waved his
hand and nodded to the Master with a murmured remark. The Master's
face fell, and, as he drew abreast of the opening in the side of
the ring, he moved out slowly with Finn. To him then came a
steward, fussily official. He was not to withdraw from the ring, it
appeared, but only to take up his stand in one corner of it with
Champion Dermot Asthore, Champion Munster, and a magnificent hound
named Cormac. The Judge was making notes on slips of paper now, and
in another minute or so the ring was empty, save for the three
hounds mentioned and Finn.

And now there came the most searching sort of examination of these
four Wolfhounds, who were drawn up in a row before the Judge.
Teeth, eyes, claws, all were in turn closely scrutinized by the man
who had weighed and studied such matters for the half of a century.
Muscles and joints were carefully felt, and all in a manner which
no se