HUNTS WITH JOKROCKS 



gas-light man, who was making way for daylight, 

 and reg'larly rousing the whole inhabitants of the 

 place. 



'Clapt spurs on Xerxes and arter them, 

 holloain' and crackin' my whip, but deuce a bit 

 did they 'eed me on they went! sterns up and 

 'eads too, towlin', and howlin', and chirpin', as 

 though they had a fox afore them. Butchers' 

 dogs, curs, setters, mastiffs, mongrels of all sorts 

 and sizes, flew out as they went, some joinin' cry, 

 others worryin' and fightin' their way, but still the 

 body of the pack kept movin' onward at a splittin' 

 pace, down the London Road, as wild as hawks, 

 without turning to the right or the left, until they 

 all flew, like a flock of pigeons, clean out of sight. 

 "Oh, dear! oh, dear!" cried I, pullin' up, fairly 

 exhausted, at the third milestone, by the cross- 

 roads from Cadger's House and Knowlton, " I 've 

 lost my 'ounds, and I 'm ruined for ever." " Blow 

 your 'orn!" cried a countryman who was sittin' 

 on the stone, "they are not far afore you, and 

 the dogs not far afore them " : but blow me tight, 



20 



