378 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PR A HUE. 



valley to Mantel's Heath. Passing the right of this, they 

 galloped with hounds up to Little Preston ; and crossing the 

 road between that hamlet and Preston Capes, embarked on a 

 pretty and rideable line to the village of Maidford. Thus was a 

 quick, straight gallop carried some four or five miles into the 

 Grafton country. It is thought their fox went on into Plump- 

 ton Wood, as a couple and a half of hounds found their way 

 nearly thither. But they lost him soon after passing Maidford. 

 And one of the best fields of the new season was left at 

 Badby. 



Had I, or you, disconsolate friends, been second whip, of course 

 we should not have been left behind — or equally of course should 

 have been well trounced for neglect of duty. But in our case 

 pleasure too often takes the place of duty, and so we lose grip of 

 both. And, besides our predilection and laziness, we are bound 

 to remember (in some hunts made to remember) that the per- 

 sistency necessary to the occupation of a whip is on our part 

 altogether unwelcome and superfluous. We cannot all hunt the 

 huntsman (though many of us do run the poor man very hard, 

 particularly when he gives us a chance by working across his 

 own foil), and still less are we expected, or welcomed, as a 

 satellite to the minor constellation (be he of first or second 

 magnitude). No, we must "take our chance with the rest," 

 accept our mischances with a pleasant grin, and vow attention 

 and pertinacity in the future. What to do in the event of fail- 

 ure is another question — which you must answer for me. T<> 

 post yourself on an eminence — looking into space as provided by 

 a great green valley and a blue distance with a mocking sun 

 dancing in your eyes, is no pastime. But it is almost as pro- 

 ductive as galloping into nothingness — riding hard for a Will o' 

 the Wisp — not half so plausible an undertaking as tilting at a 

 windmill. You may hang back to preserve material for a 

 possible event of the afternoon, or at any rate of another day. 

 You may stand on the hillside sighing — your flask and case 

 gone with your second horse — store up a chill of .liver and lung 

 — and finally join hounds just as they are going home. 



