HUNTS WITH JORROCKS 



'ere?' inquired Mr. Jorrocks, all fuss and flurry 

 on discovering the person of his secretary. ' Well, 

 carn't wait sorry for it know better another 

 time ' ; and thereupon he ordered out the horses, 

 gave Ben a leg up on to Xerxes, mounted 

 Arterxerxes himself, the hounds were unken- 

 nelled with a melodious rush, and desiring 

 Fleeceall to lead the way, Mr. Jorrocks got 

 the glad pack about him, and went away for 

 South Grove, with a broad grin of satisfaction on 

 his jolly face. 



The day seemed auspicious, and there was a 

 balmy freshness in the air that promised well for 

 scent. Added to this, Mr. Jorrocks had cut the 

 left side of his chin in shaving, which he always 

 considered ominous of sport. Bump, bump, jolt, 

 jolt, jog, jog, he went on his lumbering hunter, 

 now craning over its neck to try if he could see 

 its knees, now cheering and throwing bits of 

 biscuit to the hounds, now looking back to see 

 if Benjamin was in his right place, and again 

 holloaing out some witticism to Fleeceall in 



28 



