82 Hunting in the Golde7i Days. 



nearly on the top of Mr. Oldwig, and is well rated by 

 that worthy for riding in his coat pocket. He is soon 

 mounted and away, and they are both on their headlong 

 career, determined either to die or conquer. Two or 

 three more formidable fences are traversed without 

 further mishap. Fortunately the going is light, and 

 as yet their steeds show no signs of distress ; and 

 it is well that such is the case, for they are quickly 

 approaching the bottom where the dreaded Drencher 

 brook runs, and nobody knows better than these 

 two good sportsmen that it means jumping here, 

 if they wish to cover the course. Great excite- 

 ment is manifested among the spectators on the hill, 

 who are still able to view the horses, although they, 

 unfortunately, are denied a view of the brook at the 

 bottom, and are on the tip-toe of expectation, as they 

 will see the horses when they are rising the fallow field 

 on the opposite bank. Their patience is well tried 

 here, for it is some considerable time before their 

 vision is gratified by the spectacle of the horses. 

 Although Mr. Winebold has taken a small tonic to 

 settle his nerves before starting, yet he feels his heart 

 sinking very low as he approaches the brook, and he 

 longs cnce more for a randrer of that cherry brandy 

 to set him going again. But, putting his horse's 

 head hard at it, and clapping his spurs well into 

 the sides of old Sulphur, he rides bravely at it. 

 The horse, with a gallant effort, lands on the edge 

 of the steep bank, and, after making a hard fight to 

 recover himself, rolls back into the weedy stream. Mr. 

 Oldwig is riding at the brook a few yards lower down, not 

 daring to look at the result of his opponent's attempt, but 

 his horse, perceiving the trouble of his companion, stops 

 short, and its rider takes a header into the stream. 



