MR. JOHN COUPLAND 49 



quickest thing of the season. This afternoon burst 

 was the prehminary to some very excellent sport, 

 of which the Quorn had, I think, the lion's share. 

 On 2nd February that pack, finding a fox in Gartree 

 Hill, raced across the Burton Flats by Wild's Lodge 

 nearly to Stapleford, and then, swinging left-handed, 

 ran into Burbidge's covert. Here was the first 

 check, and possibly a change of foxes, but the pace 

 was equally good across that stiff line to Guadaloupe 

 and down to the river at Eye Kettleby. After 

 crossing the river it was only slow hunting, and the 

 fox was lost near Sysonby. Mr. Arthur Pryor had 

 the misfortune on this occasion to kill his old 

 favourite chestnut in jumping a gate. The horse 

 was noted for his timber- jumping qualities, and had 

 carried his owner safely over many a high-backed 

 stile, but he had reached his twentieth year, and 

 the activity of youth had been replaced by the 

 stiffening joints of age. 



On the next Monday the same pack had about 

 the best run of the season with the old bob-tailed 

 customer who had set both the Belvoir and Quorn 

 at defiance for some time. We found him in Holwell 

 Mouth, and getting away on good terms, hounds 

 ran fast to Little Belvoir, where they turned left- 

 handed up the hill and ran at a modified pace to 

 Cant's Thorns. Here our bob-tailed friend waited 

 for us, and, relying on his cunning rather than his 

 speed, laid down in the covert, and, getting up after 

 the pack had passed, slipped away to Kettleby 

 village. Firr was not to be beaten by these tactics, 

 and getting his pack clear of the village they settled 

 down to race. Past Old Hills and Scalford Spinney 

 the pace was so good that few men were able to 

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