EARLY DAYS IN LEICESTERSHIRE 23 



had been drawn blank, and a small ash plantation 

 called Large's Spinney was being tried on the way 

 to the next covert. Suddenly there was a crash of 

 music, and we watched expectantly to view a fox 

 away, when to our amazement a big black buck 

 came bounding out of covert with the young entry 

 clamouring at his heels. I don't think any of the 

 older hounds took an active part in the proceed- 

 ings, but they followed the lead of the juveniles, 

 no doubt to ascertain what animal they were 

 hunting. 



I was young then, and did not consider the 

 feelings of the huntsmen as I should do in a similar 

 case now, but was keenly alive to the possibilities 

 of a gallop. I happened to get a good start and 

 had every intention of seeing the end of the fun. 

 Luckily for the credit of the hunt, and much to my 

 disappointment, the buck made a sharp turn into 

 John o' Gaunt on reaching the railway. The young 

 sinners flashed over the scent, and, of course, the 

 old hounds would not help them in their difficulty, 

 so that before they could go any farther down the 

 path of wickedness, the hunt officials were able to 

 cut them off. I must confess that my feeling at 

 the time was one of disappointment that such a 

 promising gallop should have been nipped in the 

 bud. 



It is difficult to imagine what would have hap- 

 pened had the buck continued the course he was 

 pursuing, and gone straight over the railway, as a 

 good eight miles of beautiful grass lay between him 

 and the park from which he had strayed. The 

 older hounds would probably have dropped out 

 when they found what they were hunting, but the 



