But now the clock had struck the hour, And round the corner, down the road The bob-bob-bobbing serpent flowed With three black knobs upon its spine; Three bobbing black-caps in a line. A glimpse of scarlet at the gap Showed underneath each bobbing cap, And at the corner by the gate, One heard Tom Dansey give a rate, "Hep, Drop it, Jumper; have a care," There came a growl, half-rate, half-swear, A spitting crack, a tuneful whimper And sweet religion entered Jumper. There was a general turn of faces, The men and horses shifted places, And round the corner came the hunt, Those feathery things, the hounds, in front, Intent, wise, dipping, trotting, straying, Smiling at people, shoving, playing, Nosing to children's faces, waving Their feathery sterns, and all behaving, One eye to Dansey on Maroon. Their padding cat-feet beat a tune, And though they trotted up so quiet Their noses brought them news of riot, Wild smells of things with living blood, Hot smells, against the grippers good, Of weasel, rabbit, cat and hare, Whose feet had been before them there, Whose taint still tingled every breath; But Dansey on Maroon was death, So, though their noses roved, their feet Larked and trit-trotted to the meet. Bill Tall and Ell and Mirtie Key (Aged fourteen years between the three) Were flooded by them at the bend, They thought their little lives would end, For grave sweet eyes looked into theirs, Cold noses came, and clean short hairs And tails all crumpled up like ferns, A sea of moving heads and sterns, All round them, brushing coat and dress; One paused, expecting a caress. The children shrank into each other, Shut eyes, clutched tight and shouted "Mother" With mouths wide open, catching tears. [Illustration: A sea of moving heads and sterns, All round them, brushing coat and dress.] Sharp Mrs. Tall allayed their fears, "Err out the road, the dogs won't hurt 'ee. There now, you've cried your faces dirty. More cleaning up for me to do. What? Cry at dogs, great lumps like you?" She licked her handkerchief and smeared Their faces where the dirt appeared.