THE BET WON. 93 



are not in Leicestershire now, but one of the stiffest vales I 

 ever crossed yet, where hounds can and will beat the horses." 



" They can't beat me," replied the great squire. 



" They have done it once already, and will do it again, I 

 hope," rejoined Burnett ; " that is, if the scent holds as good 

 with the next fox we find." 



By this time the Captain and Yernon had reached the spot, 

 when the former appealed to Gwynne about his bet. 



" You have won this heat clearly enough, Markham," replied 

 Sir Lucius, " as Beauchamp had his fox in hand five minutes 

 at least before the great man showed at all, and four of us were 

 before him." 



" Eh ! Yernon, 'pon honour, no mistake about it — lost your 

 money, old fellow ; but come, I'll let you off for a five pound 

 note — demmed liberal offer, eh 1 " 



" I won't take it, Markham, for I feel certain of winning, as 

 an accident only prevented my man being in his proper place, 

 where he is sure to be the next run." 



" Oh, very well," replied the Captain ; " as you please." 



The hounds were now taken to one of the finest fox coverts 

 in the world — a large hazel coppice of about one hundred acres, 

 situated in the centre of a fine grass country, with large, open 

 pasture fields. 



" Ah ! " exclaimed the Leicestershire squire, " this is some- 

 thing like a hunting country, with plenty of room to fall, with- 

 out half a score fellows being in upon a man when he's down. 

 Now, Burnett, we may fancy ourselves at Billesdon again." 



" With this difference only," replied Sir Francis, " that there 

 we can take our fences at a fly ; here it cannot be done, with a 

 wide ditch on both sides, and a big, thundering bank and quickset 

 in the middle." 



"I shall try it, notwithstanding," rejoined the squire. 



fl Then you don't see our second fox killed, that's settled ; 

 but, hark ! by Jove ! they have found him." And with a scream, 

 which thrilled through the hearts of all, Will Beauchamp viewed 

 him over the ride. In a moment the whole pack was at work, 

 rattling him round the covert. 



"Beautiful !" exclaimed the great squire : "how those big 

 brutes stick to him ! Gad, sir, they squeak like terriers, light 

 enough in their tongue — eh, Burnett V 



" Yes, there's little cry with them, and when they run hard, 

 you can scarcely hear them at all j tip and go is their motto, 

 and I've seen them run half a mile with their fox in view, 



