Tunbridge, and were marshalled on our way home. If violent rain came on, these proceedings were dispensed with, and we were allowed to find our way home as fast as we could; this was called “Skirmishing on.” Such was the usual routine of the Inferiors on hills; but the Præfects and their Teejays had a more lively time of it. For them there were ducks and green peas at Twyford, bathing in “Pot,” (if summer time,) a foray on the young rooks, chariot races, and, last and greatest, the chase of the immortal badger. If one can’t follow a fox on horseback, one may do worse than follow a badger on foot—that is, if one’s lungs and legs are in as good condition as ours used to be in those days. At some appointed meet, “Turner,” the badger provider, clad in a rusty velveteen shooting jacket, with a cur or two at his heels, and the noble animal in a sack, used to meet us. On the mouth of the sack being opened, away went badger at a steady enduring pace across the downs. He did not run extremely fast, but then he could go for ever. His strong point was going up a steep hill, when he could beat the fastest runner; going down hill he was not so brilliant. We generally gave him one hundred yards start before we followed, Turner bringing up the rear with the dogs in couples. Sometimes, instead of crossing the downs, he would make for the water meadows, and then the runs were more exciting as he took to the water like an otter; and as with the old and new barge river and mill streams, there were several pieces of water of some breadth and depth to pass, our swimming as well as running powers were called into play. When we had had enough, the dogs were let loose and the badger stopped. Turner’s excitement at this moment lest his badger or dogs should receive any injuries was intense, and indeed with some reason, as a badger and dog, locked in an embrace, require great persuasion to make them forego their hold. He used to throw himself on the combatants, and eagerly exhort some of those up to “lay hould of his tail,” while he himself would chew away at that of the badger or of any dog that would not quit his gripe. The badger being extricated from the dogs, or the dogs from the badger, as the case might be, he was returned to the quiet of his sack again till the next morning Hills. These morning exercises produced considerable appetite. Before starting for Hills we used generally to indulge in a pint of coffee and two pennyworth of biscuits from Lacroix’s; then we not unfrequently ran to Twyford as hard as we could put legs to the ground to regale on ducks and green peas; which finished, we would just have sufficient leisure to run back to College in time for the regulation breakfast, eked out with fried potatoes, kidneys, sausages, &c. &c.