Notable Runs 59 



self by describing a very perfect semicircle with 

 Hotspur, over some rails near Stamford Hall. The 

 roan was tired and his rider ambitious, so a downfall 

 was the inevitable result. Nevertheless, he fell 

 honourably enough, and hoped no one but himself 

 knew how completely the accident was occasioned 

 by utter exhaustion on the part of his steed. 



There is no secret so close as that between a 

 horse and his rider. Up to the first check, Hotspur 

 had realised his owner's fondest anticipations. 

 " He's fit for a king ! " ejaculated the delighted 

 Sawyer, when they flew so gallantly over the 

 brook. Even after the hounds had run steadily 

 on for the best part of an hour, the animal's 

 character had only sunk to " not thoroughly fit to 

 go " ; but when they arrived at the Hemplow 

 Hills, and the pack, still holding a fair hunting 

 pace, breasted that choking ascent, he could not 

 disguise from himself that the roan was about 

 "told out." They are indeed no joke, those 

 well-known Hemplow Hills, when they present 

 themselves to astonished steeds and ardent riders 

 after fifty minutes over the strongest part of 

 Northamptonshire. A sufficiently picturesque ob- 

 ject to the admirer of nature, they prove an 

 unwelcome obstacle to the follower of the chase, 

 and it was no disgrace to poor Hotspur that, al- 

 though he struggled gamely to the top, he was 

 reduced to a very feeble and abortive attempt at 

 a trot when he reached the flat ground on the 

 summit. Ere long this degenerated to a walk, — 

 and I leave it my reader, if a sportsman, to imagine 

 with what feelings of relief Mr. Sawyer observed 

 the now distant pack turning short back. The fox 

 was evidently hard pressed, and dodging for his life. 



The Rev. Dove, with an exceedingly red face, 



