576 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



their own country, and the bulk of the field has gone home. 

 Believe me, I have no intention of crowing because I happened 

 to be at out-kennels for the night, and therefore had not to 

 turn homewards as early as some of you. But you will not 

 grudge us our better luck, any more than you seem hateful to 

 us when you tell of a " clinker " that has taken place in our 

 absence — at least you don't unless you wind up with "You 

 ought to have been out ! Why weren't you ? " And there • 

 upon we no longer believe your tale. 



The Pytchley, then, had met at Swinford, and had begun by 

 running under difficulties from Misterton Gorse, to Stanford 

 Hall and the South Kilworth coverts, where reynard accounted 

 for himself, like the young lady recently incarcerated at 

 Cambridge, by escaping. Want of scent stood him in the light 

 of an open door. After this half-hour's hunt, the order was 

 given for North Kilworth Sticks ; and a long dusty jog ensued. 

 How they found, and how for a few minutes they flew, is a 

 preface I take on trust — inasmuch as, for reasons that matter 

 not, I was not in my place as attache until they had worked 

 on from Walton Holt and were going slowly past Mr. John 

 Bennett's house, towards the Laughton Hills. Reaching these, 

 we mounted to the summit rapidly, then drew rein awhile and 

 o-azed our fill upon the lovely grass valley that separates 

 Mr. Fernie's territory from Pytchleydom, and the shire of 

 Leicester from that of Northampton. Having threaded the 

 whole length of the hillside coverts they hunted on for Luben- 

 ham, and hounds were with difficulty picking out the line 

 across a dusty wheatfield, when close in front of them jumped 

 up the fox — a fox — and they dashed on to the grass in view. 

 We had already learned that it was unfair, probably costly 

 and possibly dangerous, to jump the fences; accordingly had 

 resolved almost unanimously not to do so — and now, equally 

 accordingly, were impelled to do it whether we liked or not. 

 It is just that want of absolute unanimity of purpose that 

 sends most good resolutions to make paving-stones. In this 

 case I grant that it is annoying to see hounds rapidly dis- 



