336 THE IMAGE OF WAE 



fairly screamed across the Welland into their own 

 country again, the field clattering through Weston 

 village. We had pretty well done with the grass 

 now, which was hard on horses, and along the arable 

 we went to Medbourne, and thence, by grass once 

 more, to Watson's Gorse, the leading hounds topping 

 the fence in exactly three-quarters of an hour from 

 the find by my watch. The papers gave it ten 

 minutes more, but this included the time before this 

 beaten fox was killed in the gorse. It was of course 

 an absolute circle — its only demerit as a run, which, 

 taking it altogether, was the best I saw with these 

 hounds, though I had some more useful sport, with 

 a bit more jumping (in which this run, owing to wire, 

 was deficient), with them a year later. 



I have heard some would-be judges "crab'' Mr 

 Fernie's hounds, but to me they seemed as good as 

 they ought to be, and this, considering the time the 

 Master has had them, the trouble and care he has 

 had with them, and the years that have elapsed 

 since he first won at Peterborough, means a good 

 deal. As a huntsman Thatcher is as good as he 

 can be ; I have never seen a better man since the 

 Goodalls' day. He fairly surprised me one day by 

 handling a Watson's Gorse fox, which I thought had 

 beaten him a quarter of an hour before, near East 

 Norton. I have said I do not know the better part 

 of the country, but what I do know I liked, for the 

 reason that it always rides fairly light even when 

 Northamptonshire is hock-deep. I admit the hills 

 are a bit trying at times, and a horse has to be both 

 well-bred and fit to keep near hounds up there. 

 Unfortunately there is too much wire, much more 

 than there should be for such a Master, for it would. 



