298 Mr. T. T. Drake, Jmu. 



The week after I met the Squire at Skimming- 

 dish Gate. All the kennel horses were down with 

 influenza ; the Squire was riding my first mount 

 at Chilton, and the men were riding horses found 

 by the gentlemen of the hunt. We had some 

 ringing about in the morning without catching a 

 fox. We drew Stratton Coppice in the afternoon. 

 The fox was away in a hurry pointing for Frink- 

 ford Hill, but was headed and turned over some 

 large grass fields to the right. Jem Mason and I, 

 sharp after them, jumped into a meadow near 

 Stratton Mill, and the hounds checked. The 

 Squire came over the fence directly, and, seeing 

 us there, said, '' I see how it is ! " 



'' Not at all, Squire," said I, ''a hundred sheep 

 have just gone through the gate, if you cast 

 towards the water you will hit him " ; he did so 

 with success, and we rode down to the water. 

 " I said, " We cannot jump this at once." 



''Jump in I " said the Squire. 



'' Not for me," I said. " Jem had the laugh 

 against me once ! " In went the Squire ; we 

 followed, and the bottom was as firm as a 

 road. 



The fox set his head straight, and, without a 

 turn, ran at least nine miles, and hounds ran into 

 him in the Grafton country in fine style ! I wished 



