HUNTS WITH JOKROCKS 



takable twang, and Mr. Jorrocks determined to 

 alter his course. Where all was so bad, there 

 was nothing to choose. Accordingly he swung 

 Arterxerxes short round, and turned him up 

 another rushy, waterlogged track, that seemed 

 to lead in the direction of the horn. Desperately 

 bad the riding was. The nature of the ground 

 seemed to change, and from hop-pole-like ash 

 and alder, to be stocked with nothing but stunted 

 birch. The soil was black and peaty, with here 

 and there the outline of a long-subsided drain. 



'Blow me tight,' muttered Mr. Jorrocks, 

 shortening his hold of his horse, ' I wish I mayn't 

 be gettin' bogged,' and scarcely were the words 

 out of his mouth ere Arterxerxes floundered up 

 to the shoulders in a moss hag, shooting our 

 friend softly over his head on to his side. 



1 W-o-a-y 'oss! W-o-a-a-y I ' roared our master, 

 now kicking on his back like a lively turtle, 

 expecting to have the struggling animal a top 

 of him every moment. 



'W-o-a-y 'oss! w-o-a-a-y!' repeated Jorrocks, 



114 



