34 S^itJtng to i^otinti^. 



from which to make good his escape without hin- 

 drance, and that Tom, who sat m.otionless as a 

 statue until he was fully a field and a half aw^ay, has 

 now acquainted you, by his upheld cap and that 

 heart-thrilling holloa that has so often cast cares 

 and cigars to the winds, that he has gone. Toot, 

 toot, toot ! twang, twang, twang ! goes the hunts- 

 man's horn; and now "Columbine," now "Affable," 

 closety followed at short and diminishing intervals by 

 the remainder of the pack, cpme dashing as best 

 they may through briar and bracken, each eager to 

 be first. The huntsman may, and probably will, 

 gallop forward with the few couples of hounds 

 soonest out of covert, and by cheering them on and 

 sounding, from time to time, those shrill, yet musical 

 notes upon his horn, will, doubtless, without much 

 delay, have the remainder, which Ned's rate in 

 covert is hurrying forward, in their wake. 



But you, my friend, will not, like that tailor yonder, 

 gallop after him. No, on the contrary, if you do not, 

 as you should, open that bridle-gate to hasten the 

 egress of the spotted beauties struggling in hot haste 

 to climb over or through its opposing bars, you 

 will, at all events, restrain your ardour until the body 

 of the pack are well away, and then, when with that 

 melody which no pen can do justice to, they settle 

 down to business in real earnest, so may you. 



