BH (Calcutta) failed, is Boot's closet canine companion, whose never more closest than when Boot has a bone.

BH is of Indian Army background - his great grandfather fought at the battle of Vindaloo. He believes his mother was a field gun ( "so cold she was - so aloof, and with one hell of a nose" ) because he first saw the light of day from it's ammunition locker - when they lifted the lid.

He was meant to be a proper card carrying Bloodhound , but failed his final examinations. Bureaucratic bungling is what he puts it down to, and he has a case.

The examiners laid a trail by filling an elephant with curry and turning the swelling beast out into the midday sun where, elbowing mad dog's and Englishmen rudely aside, it laid a trail few could fail to follow but most preferred to avoid.

BH followed the trail, doggedly - something for which dogs seem to have a natural flair. Just as he was closing in on the quarry, ready with the phrase, "you are a curry loaded elephant and I claim the ten pound reward," the curry, which was expanding in the midday heat, achieved a greater volume than the pachyderm was capable of surrounding and the unfortunate beast exploded.