With regard to the vapourings of a 'certain
gentleman,' he thought it would be very odd if some of them could not take
the shine out of him, observing that 'Brag' was a good dog, but 'Holdfast'
was a better, with certain other sporting similes and phrases, all
indicative of showing fight. The steam is soon got up after dinner, and as
they were all of the same mind, and all agreed that a gross insult had
been offered to the hunt in general, and themselves in particular, the only
question was, how to revenge it. At last they hit upon it. Old Slocdolager,
the late master of the hunt, had been in the habit of having Tom Towler,
the huntsman, to his lodgings the night before hunting, where, over a glass
of gin-and-water, they discussed the doings of the day, and the general
arrangements of the country.
Mr. Waffles had had him in sometimes, though for a different purpose--at
least, in reality for a different purpose, though he always made hunting
the excuse for sending for him, and that purpose was, to try how many
silver foxes' heads full of port wine Tom could carry off without tumbling,
and the old fellow being rather liquorishly inclined, had never made any
objection to the experiment.
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