A GALLOP 515 



parties — stood in the way, and headed our buck from his point. 



Major and Miss Talbot had, however, viewed him, as he turned 



leftward ; not a moment was lost in regaining his line ; and 



onward we scrambled through the mazy forest as fast as we 



could dart and zigzag. The Brockenhurst-and-Lyndhurst road 



was recrossed after skirting New Park ; and the chase went on 



through Hollands Wood, the Lawn, and by the Victoria Tile 



Yard. The names are, I believe, correct ; but in my own mind 



and memory there are stamped only a headlong career through 



gorse, heather, and holly ; then a several minutes' dive through 



open woodland — the pack well together, and driving alongside 



an inclosure paling — then a turn into one of these big inclosures 



— Mr. Lovell, in spite of one arm, being quickest thither and 



quickest to swing the gate, before bringing his horn out to cheer 



on the stragglers and the field. Then a hurried mile or two by 



broad green rides, with a wealth of pinetree-jungle on either side, 



and then, outside, a minute's check, where a woodman had driven 



the buck back into covert, and the eager pack — running breast 



hisfh — had overshot the mark. Allen was off his horse in a 



moment to clear the iron fencing. Hounds swung deftly back to 



him ; and immediately a deep-toned note proclaimed that the 



line was Forrard once more. (All this in Stubby Copse.) 



Now the railway (L. & S. W.) was reached. A broad grass 



track lay between the high wire fencing and the adjoining wood ; 



not a bridge opened a loophole beneath the line ; and the buck, 



forced clean away from home and water, had nothing for it but 



to hold forward for life — or death. For a mile or so the leading 



couples raced hard along the rank turf — the tail hounds, 



momentarily slipped by the recent check, struggling hard to 



make up their ground to the Master's horn and Miss Lo veil's 



cheer. " There he goes ! " — the old glad signal that has prefaced 



death, and glory, to many a hundred reynard. And there, up 



the greenride was bobbing the white flag of the prize ahead. 



Through the topmost corner of Woodfidley he disappeared ; and 



we cut the plantation-angle to issue upon Denny Bog and its 



wide vista of red heather and swamp. Ye tally ho ! Out he 



L l 2 



