CLIMAX OF DIRT AND SPORT. 97 



brick archway some seventeen hands high. Knights and 

 squires, dames and damsels, were all off their horses in a jiffy ; 

 and it was found that pommels could just scrape under the 

 brickwork, to emerge in safety beyond the embankment. But 

 another well-fenced railway again stared them in the face ; 

 while the river flowed by on the other flank, deep, dark, and 

 wide. Hounds feathered on the water's edge ; and it was 

 quite certain Reynard must have crossed somewhere. So there 

 was nothing for Firr to do, but make the best of his way into 

 and through the town of Melton, getting round to the other 

 side of Egerton Lodge as quick as he could. But he was able 

 to do no more towards picking up a well-earned fox. Rumour 

 had it that the gardener had seen him enter Lord Wilton's 

 garden — where the Cottesmore fox of October found refuge. 



CLIMAX OF DIRT AND SPORT. 



Alternate days of storm and calm — the former in the ascen- 

 dant with reference to hunting, as the latter scored the one day 

 on which men and horses should be at rest. Thus has the week 

 been passed. Gales and flood you have all experienced and read 

 of elsewhere. We have had our full portion — meted out at the 

 most unfitting moments. Others may have made their hay 

 while the sun shone ; but our lot, except on Friday as below, 

 has been amid storm and tempest unutterable. 



Friday, February 9th — with the Quorn at Queniborough — 

 was noticeable for more people, more mud, and more croppers 

 than any day of the present season. No one was informed 

 of the rendezvous until the day previous. What would the crowd 

 have been under advertisement ? We have seen many Quorn 

 Fridays still more densely attended — but even this was thickly 

 packed enough to have made a stranger gasp, or tremble. And 

 in the goodly day's sport provided, there seemed room enough 

 for all to see as much as their individual power and prowess 

 would prompt. As to the mud, it made itself patent long before 



H 



