122 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



as they neared the village of Wymesfold, a second sharp left- 

 ward turn (hidden by a high black bullfinch) served to throw 

 off some more of the van. But the same turn helped others — 

 as it struck into a second road — and so the number with hounds 

 at once increased rather than diminished. This road led direct 

 to Six Hills ; and had men chosen to stick to it, would have 

 led them to Six Hills as quickly as hounds did. But the latter 

 took them at once across into capital riding ground ; and, at 

 the best pace they could raise, the leaders reached the gorse 

 field at the cross roads of Six Hills only just within hail. 

 Darting at once through the narrow plantation that stretches 

 thence to the wood of Thrussington Wolds, and leaving that 

 covert to the right, hounds held on still over the open. A 

 labourer pointed not only to the line of the fox, but to his 

 fleeting form, as he could still see him only a field ahead. At 

 this point Mr. Black, a hard rider and good sportsman, who 

 farms land near Great Dalb}^ took up the running in pursuit of 

 the pack, closely followed by Capt. Boyce, Mr. Cecil Chaplin, 

 and the huntsman. To Mr. Chaplin, indeed, and to his roan, 

 belong the honours of as sharp and trying a ride as has been 

 seen this season. For, with no slight disadvantage in point of 

 weight, he saw more of the gallop than all the lighter men — a 

 knowledge and faculty of pace, and (a still more invaluable 

 talent) a quick eye to hounds, preventing his either blowing 

 his horse or making a single wrong turn. Others too were yet 

 well in the run, as it left Ragdale Hall and village to the right,. 

 and went parallel to the Six Hills and Melton Road — some of 

 the earliest of these being Major "Robertson, Messrs. Whitworth, 

 Pennington, Cradock, Story, and Colonel Chippindall. But the 

 attendance was but a small one when hounds, dashing right up 

 to the open earth, brought this bright gallop to a sudden close. 

 Twenty-seven minutes to ground, and not a check, nor even a 

 moment's falter, by the way — the ground in beautiful order, 

 and the fences easy. The extreme points of the burst (from, 

 near Wymeswold to Shobby Scoles) were not quite four miles ^ 

 but the way hounds went must have been fully six. 



