244 RIDING RECOLLECTIONS. 



got him, and Rapid so far forgets himself as to venture 

 on a feeble " Who whoop ! " 



Before he can leap from the saddle the huntsman 

 comes up followed by two others, -one of whom, pulling 

 out his watch, with a delighted face repeats frantically, 

 " Seven-and-twenty minutes, and a kill in the open ! 

 What a good gallop ! Not the ghost of a check from 

 end to end. Seven-and-twenty minutes," and so on, 

 over and over again. 



While the field straggle in, and the obsequies of this 

 good fox are properly celebrated, a little enthusiasm 

 would be justifiable enough on the part of a young 

 gentleman who has "had the best of it " unquestionably 

 through the whole of so brilliant a scurry. He might 

 be expected to enlarge volubly, and with excusable self- 

 consciousness, on the pace, the country, the straight 

 running of the fox, the speed and gallantry of the 

 hounds ; nor could we blame him for praising by impli- 

 cation his own determined riding in a tribute to " The 

 King of the Golden Mines." 



But such extravagancies are studiously repudiated 

 and repressed by the school to which young Rapid 

 belongs. All he does say is this 



" I wonder when the second horses will come up ? I 

 want some luncheon before we go and find another fox." 



