398 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



five minutes — almost straight — with Goodall's usual kill at the 

 finish." 



On Wednesday afternoon, then (never mind the morning, 

 though they do say that the Cotesbach Brook has since been 

 the means of creating a new fondness for watergruel in more 

 than one fair home), they found a right good fox in Lilbourne 

 Gorse, as you shall see. (No time for comment — nor is there 

 much to hand for this post.) He broke towards Mr. Muntz's 

 house ; but turned to the left before he reached the Watling 

 Street road — evidently ever the ground that for one year formed 

 the scene of the Rugby Chases. Then straight to Crick Covert 

 — ve gods, what a line, and obviously all the wire was down. 

 Within one field of the gorse, he turned to the left, and made 

 for the wooded knoll known as Cracks Hill — where he was 

 viewed close in front of hounds. The latter dwelt but little 

 time on the hill ; but crossed the lane leading to Yelvertoft, 

 and ran on as if for Winwick Village. Bearing off a trifle to 

 the right, however, they went on over a fine line of country 

 between Winwick and West Haddon — rising the hill and cross- 

 ing the Guilsborough road, with their heads towards Ravens- 

 thorpe village. Just beyond the next bottom, they — for the 

 first and only time in the run — hesitated a moment. But 

 Goodall, catching a view of his fox, held them on ; and they 

 ran up to the road between West Haddon and Buckby Folly. 

 While hounds crossed it, and for a few fields ran parallel — the 

 field generally being very glad to take advantage of the road — 

 for by this time horses had in most cases begun to cry enough. 

 So with their fox ; for now he sank the hill, as though he 

 meant to reach the covert of Vanderplank, but, his powers fail- 

 ing him, he crept up towards Long Buckby Village, lay down in 

 the ditch of one of the large grass fields before reaching it — 

 and here they pinned him. " As good a hunt as anyone could 

 wish to see — hounds doing their work entirely of themselves, 

 and their fox never very far in front of them. The line was a 

 splendid one " (as indeed is easily recognisable). " Many of the 

 horses were very tired, and no second-horses were obtainable, 



