THE INITIAL BURST. 45 



At Loseby Spinney the old fox changed his mind ; and 

 turned abruptly back across our faces — fox, field and pack 

 being again in the same meadow. Back to Quenby Park and 

 Spinney almost by the same line, then out at once towards The 

 Coplow. Headed from this, he bore to the right towards 

 Ingarsby, and now made his mind up for a point in Sir Bache 

 Cunard's country. The ground — if not actually severe — was 

 fully deep for the month of October, and for horses only just 

 from the clipping machine. But Leicestershire has this 

 advantage {among others, on which it arrogantly hugs itself), 

 that rain runs off its hills and undulations almost as it falls, 

 and it is one of the last countries to become really heavy. So, 

 though foam gathered and pipes played loudly, horses were 

 still able to gallop and jump freely — and a sudden turn gave 

 them two minutes of invaluable breathing time. As Mr. 

 Carver's Spinney was passed, bold Reynard was to be viewed 

 across the next valley — stealing up a hedgerow, with his head 

 turned over his shoulder and his brush drooping low. The 

 pack had to make a detour, while horsemen could stand still 

 and welcome the delay. Over the hill towards Houghton — two 

 ploughed fields (almost the only ones in the run) causing a 

 momentary drag — five and thirty minutes now since the start. 

 The Uppingham turnpike was crossed close to Houohton 

 Village. " He can't travel very fast," said the shepherd, as he 

 unlocked a gate off the road and ushered us on to the cream 

 of Sir Bache's territory. Stiff enough at any time, it offered a 

 prospect less than tempting after forty minutes' fast going in 

 October. " Don't think we can get over this country now : 

 my horse is half-beat already," quoth the one man from whom 

 hounds never run away (the Widmerpool instance of last 

 season save and excepted). But he did get over it ; so did the 

 Master ; so did Captain O'Neal (who has resuscitated with 

 unbroken nerve and a new stud) ; and so did Mr. Martin, 

 Mr. J. Cradock, Mr. Johnson of Leicester, and one or two 

 others — while Mr. Carver and his mare, an evergreen pair, 

 worked round and about, and seemed ever present at each 



