256 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



the Captain's mount, and we were soon in the saddles. On a 

 rise of ground a little beyond were a hundred or more peasants, 

 men, women and children, every one armed with a shillaly, or 

 sometliing to shy at the fox. By this time, we had worked our 

 way well to the front and the hounds entering a bit of second 

 growth timber, three or four acres, almost instantly began to 

 show signs of giving tongue. "Look sharp," cried the Captain, 

 "we'll be off in a minute, and whatever you do, for heaven's 

 sake, keep out of the bogs. If you get into one once you go 

 plum to China before you touch bottom. Have no fear of 

 Tipperary, give a roar at her and there is not a bank in Ireland 

 to stop her." 



Hark! "A tally-ho-gone away," from the other side of the 

 bush. Tipperary was held, facing a thicket, to keep her quiet 

 as possible, till the hounds gave tongue. Such a roaring and 

 hollering as went up from the foot people when the "gone 

 away" was heard by them — you would have thought each one 

 had a fox of his own to cheer. No fox ever left a covert any- 

 where in the world with such a delirious mob to put him on 

 foot. 



The Master began hollering ''Hold hard! hold hard!" but 

 only one man obeyed and he was the Yankee, a tenderfoot to 

 the game as it is played in Ireland. "Pay no attention to him," 

 shouted the Captain, "he was born hollering." That is what 

 Tipperary thought also, for, unable to withstand restraint any 

 longer, she stood straight up in her tracks and began clawing 

 the air with her fore feet like a pantomime actor climbing a 

 rope. Presently, she came down to the earth again, her head 

 still facing the thicket, when another great roar went up from 

 the foot people, the hounds gave tongue, and with a mighty 

 spring,Tipperary jumped straight into the thicket. This was 

 so unexpected the rider was nearly dislodged. 



The delirium of the moment was upon her, go she would 

 and go she did, straight through the underbrush in the most 



