Boh Ward. 235 



succeeded in obtaining a very smart pack. Bob's 

 reason for breeding small hounds was that the 

 flints cut the large feet of heavy hounds so 

 much. 



Mr. Arkwright thought very highly of Bob, and 

 one could seldom mention him without Mr. 

 Arkwright saying '' Ward is a very clever man." 



I happened to meet Bob on the railway one 

 season, just after a great run he had had, and he 

 related it to me with great delight. Hunting with 

 the Oakley directly afterwards, I asked Mr. 

 Arkwright if he had heard of the run with the 

 Hertfordshire. " I have not heard the particulars," 

 he said. So I related them. 



It appears that the fox was found in the centre 

 of Bob's country, and set his head straight for 

 the Oakley country, and crossed the line from 

 Bletchley to Bedford, near Liddington, pointing 

 straight for Marston Thrift. Bob knew his fox 

 was beaten and dreaded a change in the Thrift. 

 When approaching the covert he told his whipper- 

 in to turn the pack to him .and not to make a noise. 

 When he got the hounds he took them alongside 

 the covert up to a gate, and was going through 

 the gate when it struck him that the fox had not 

 had time ; so he took the hounds and stood back 

 out of sight ; and in about two minutes the fox 



