MR JORROCKS'S JOURNAL 



the point. Governor, Adamant, Dexterous, and 

 Judgment came first, then the body of the pack, 

 followed by Benjamin at full gallop on Xerxes, 

 with his face and hands all scratched and bleed- 

 ing from the briars and brushwood, that Xerxes, 

 bit in teeth, had borne him triumphantly through. 

 Bang, the horse shot past Mr. Jorrocks, Benjamin 

 screaming, yelling, and holding on by the mane, 

 Xerxes doing with him just what he liked, and 

 the hounds getting together and settling to the 

 scent. ' My vig, wot a splitter ! ' cried Mr. Jorrocks 

 in astonishment, as Xerxes took a high stone wall 

 out of the cover in his stride, without disturbing 

 the coping; but bringing Ben right on to his 

 shoulder ' Hoff, for a fi' pun note ! hoff for a 

 guinea 'at to a Gossamer ! ' exclaimed Mr. Jorrocks, 

 eyeing his whipper-in's efforts to regain the saddle. 

 A friendly chuck of Xerxes' head assists his 

 endeavours, and Ben scrambles back to his place. 

 A gate on the left let Mr. Jorrocks out of cover, 

 on to a good sound sward, which he prepared to 

 take advantage of by getting Arterxerxes short 



31 



