Two Bays With the Quorn (Second Day) 167 



a rush, and there was nothing to be done but to harden my 

 heart and take it. 



"Fast at water and ditches and slow at timber," is the 

 rule. 



The Colonel went over all right. This encouraged me. 

 I was about ten rods behind, but a second later a little to the 

 right of my hne a rider went splash into the stream. There 

 was another ominous splash to the left, but I had no time to 

 look. 



^'The parson's new hat floated down the stream; 

 The brim was covered with mire. 

 His riderless horse was all lather and steam. 

 No questions were asked at the time, it would seem 

 The pace was too good to inquire/' 



I wondered if the sight of these riders in the water would 

 cause Richard to refuse when he came to the brink. Not he; 

 Richard never flinched, but went for that stream like a school- 

 girl at a skipping rope. He landed me dry shod on the opposite 

 bank. 



How I loved that horse ! I looked back and saw two rider- 

 less horses and one dripping rider holding on to the bridle, 

 his horse almost entirely submerged in the brook. 



"Oh, Richard, you are a trump." 



"How do you hke him?" asked the Colonel, as I rode up. 



"I was never on a better one in my life," I replied. "I did 

 not like the bull-finch, and that brook nearly broke my heart, 

 but Richard would have it. Richard is managing this game 

 all right. I am only a passenger." 



The Colonel looked pleased. 



We are off again. Finally, after a few more gates (I 

 never saw so much riding through gates) we came into a field 

 with a two bar fence on a small bank and no ditch on either 



