ANCIENT HISTORY 89 



was standing hesitatingly on the brink of the 

 stream. The man saw his opportunity at once 

 and rode directly at the hound, so that the horse 

 taking off at this hound guard-fence landed him 

 well on to the other side. The hound naturally 

 did not wait to be made use of again and the 

 baronet was thus alone with the pack ; but his 

 brilliant exploit met with scant reward, as the fox 

 ran only one field and then turned back to recross 

 the brook. I give this as an instance of quick- 

 ness and decision in grasping an opportunity, which 

 is the characteristic of a good man across country, 

 but I do not advise the beginner to try and 

 emulate the feat, as it is not a method that would 

 commend itself to a master of hounds. 



Some five-and-twenty years ago, a man came to 

 Melton from whom the biggest fence in Leicester- 

 shire had no terrors, and though he may not have 

 been popular with masters of hounds or huntsmen, 

 he was undeniably brave. On one occasion that 

 season hounds were running smartly from Prior's 

 Coppice and two first-flight men having noted the 

 newcomer's ambition, thought the opportunity 

 well timed for a joke. In the valley was a brook 

 that was almost unjumpable, but a handy ford 

 made the feat unnecessary. The newcomer suddenly 

 found himself sandwiched between two well-known 

 men, racing downhill at the brook, and this at 

 once awoke a desire to be first over the water. 

 Fast as he went his two attendants kept beside 

 him until within a length or two of the banks, when 

 they dropped back and the next second splash he 

 went into the water, whilst the others rode quietly 

 through the ford. 



