Though the majority of those who were in the habit of hunting with
the Kelly's Court hounds had been at the breakfast, there were still
a considerable number of horsemen waiting on the lawn in front of
the house, when Frank and his friends sallied forth. The dogs were
collected round the huntsman, behaving themselves, for the most part,
with admirable propriety; an occasional yelp from a young hound would
now and then prove that the whipper [36] had his eye on them, and would
not allow rambling; but the old dogs sat demurely on their haunches,
waiting the well-known signal for action. There they sat, as grave
as so many senators, with their large heads raised, their heavy lips
hanging from each side of their jaws, and their deep, strong chests
expanded so as to show fully their bone, muscle, and breeding.

[FOOTNOTE 36: whipper--an officer of the hunt whose duty was to
help the hunstman control the hounds]

Among the men who had arrived on the lawn during breakfast were two who
certainly had not come together, and who had not spoken since they had
been there. They were Martin Kelly and Barry Lynch. Martin was dressed
just as usual, except that he had on a pair of spurs, but Barry
was armed cap-a-pie [37]. Some time before his father's death he
had supplied himself with all the fashionable requisites for the
field,--not because he was fond of hunting, for he was not,--but in
order to prove himself as much a gentleman as other people. He had been
out twice this year, but had felt very miserable, for no one spoke to
him, and he had gone home, on both occasions, early in the day; but
he had now made up his mind that he would show himself to his old
schoolfellow in his new character as an independent country gentleman;
and what was more, he was determined that Lord Ballindine should not