94 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



without a hound giving tongue. But, look ! they are away at 

 the bottom of the covert, while we are standing here." 



" Now for it, then," cried Sir Francis, as, sticking his spurs 

 into his horse, he dashed down the nearest drive ; but Beau- 

 charnp, with his whip Charley, had got the start, and kept the 

 lead for three miles of very severe country, until the hounds 

 were brought to a check on the banks of a deep brook, where 

 the fox, having been headed by a man at work in the field 

 opposite, had doubled back, and thrown them into some little 

 confusion. At this moment the Leicestershire squire made his 

 entree into the field, in rather an unceremonious manner, by 

 being thrown head foremost from his saddle over a high bank, 

 with his horse scrambling after him. Beauchamp, hearing the 

 crash behind him, turned and asked if he was hurt. 



"Hurt!" he exclaimed; "no, / am not often hurt by a 

 fall ; but now we are even, sir," addressing Beauchamp, as the 

 hounds settled again on the scent ; " so come along : " and he 

 rode savagely at the brook, cheering Beauchamp to follow. Our 

 young master, with Charley, were quickly by his side, when the 

 great man, thinking to pound them, rode at some stiff post and 

 rails against the hill, which his horse, having the wind knocked 

 out of him already, was unable to clear, and, breaking the top 

 rail, again gave his master a severe fall. 



"Thank you," said Beauchamp, as he passed the prostrate 

 squire, " for letting me over so easy." 



"I am not beaten yet," was the retort, as he once more 

 jumped into his saddle; and, rendered furious by the fall, he 

 rode desperately at a new five-barred gate, over which he fell 

 heavily into a hard turnpike road, his horse also lying stunned 

 on his back. 



" Now, sir," said Beauchamp, jumping from his saddle, " you 

 are hurt, or ought to be ; pray let me assist you." 



" Oh, never mind me," faintly ejaculated the squire ; " this 

 is deuced hard falling ground ; but confound that rascally groom 

 of mine, for mounting me on a horse not fit to go. I'll discharge 

 him this very night. Thank you, Mr. Beauchamp, for your 

 attention. I am all right again now ; pray go on with your 

 hounds. I will soon be with you." 



Bob Conyers and others now coming up, Beauchamp whis- 

 pered to him a few words about the great man's fall, and rode 

 away to catch his hounds, which, by the way, he never could, 

 until, with Charley alone, they had killed their second fox 

 among the laurels on Mr. Compton's lawn, on the very spot 



