i6o THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



entered for tlie Hampshire Hunt Cup, to qualify for 

 whicli it was necessary that he should have been 

 in at the death of three foxes, and this made the 

 third.' 



No doubt Lord Palmerston then rode home 

 quietly, not after the fashion of some gentlemen 

 who perform all manner of pranks on the return 

 from the chase. Larking after a good day's run 

 with the hounds sometimes leads to unpleasant 

 results. 



' Some years ago (in 1830) a townsman of Don- 

 caster went to meet the Badsworth hounds at 

 Eossington toll-bar ; they had a quick find, and a 

 good run of twelve miles or so, ending with a kill 

 at Thornwater side. And then, of course, the day's 

 sport was over ? Not a bit of it. At Hatfield there 

 was another find — at the table of an open-hearted 

 friend, and he went through the run again, with 

 many a pull to freshen his memory. The best of 

 stories and the best of friends must part, however, 

 and at length came the hour when he must ride. 

 By the favour of the Lady Moon he at once took a 

 short cut for home, sailing away for some time with- 

 out any mishap. An easy-looking post and rail was 

 of course charged without a moment's hesitation, 

 little dreaming what it led to. The drop on the 

 other side was into an old unused stone quarry, half 

 full of water, and some eighteen feet down ! Strange 



