CHASE OF WILD DEEE IN ENGLAND 135 



moved away homewards, some score more horsemen 

 had turned up, making the total up to thirty-five 

 according to " Cinqfoil," or thirty-three according to 

 ''Dunkery" in Land and Water, who pithily con- 

 cludes, " All else were absolutely out of it." 



A GALLOP OVER THE GRASS. 



This run occurred after the end of the legitimate 

 stag-hunting season, the Master having granted the 

 longed-for favour of " a few by-days." The date was 

 Tuesday, October 16, and consequently a fortnight 

 all but a day after the big run I described last. 



Properly speaking I ought to have begun with a 

 prologue, and told the story of the run of September 

 the 24th. Suffice it to say that on that day the 

 meet being at Haddon, hounds were laid at 4 p.m. 

 on to the line of a one-horned stag, who beat them 

 finally in thick mist and gathering darkness at a 

 place called Steert. 



On the day of which I speak, then, the meet was 

 again at Haddon. The harbourer reported a stag 

 to be lying in Huscombe Wood, close to his own 

 cottage. The tufters found him at once, and as 

 he broke, we of the field, w^aiting on the opposite 

 hill, could plainly see he was a one - horned stag. 

 To put the matter beyond all doubt, he took us 

 field for field, the same line as he had done three 

 weeks before. But I anticipate. 



The Master came for the pack, the tufters having 

 been duly stopped at a farm called Greenslade. The 

 field clattered after the pack down the rough road, 

 and at twelve o'clock they were laid on. They com- 



