RUNNING FOR BARBERS 



I I 



Mr. Harry Sworder returned the like answer at the same instant to Mr. 

 Arkwright and Mr. Tyndale White. He had been relying upon a weak 

 place in the thick fence with the double ditch which had to be reckoned 

 with, for a few days previously harriers had been that way, and a gap was 

 discovered ; but now as he scanned it there was no gap to be seen, and too 

 late he discovered a thick oak rail high up in the fence. Neck or nothing, 

 as he felt the black meant having it. Did the horse know ? Mr. Sworder 

 thinks that he must have done, for he kneed it, and swept it far into the 

 next field, for it was only laid in the hedge. On the left of that Mrs. Sewell 

 was gallantly tackling it on the good little " Jack," and got through with a 

 struggle. Many began to think the going heavy across Hill Hall Park, and 

 when hounds, without the semblance of a check, went straight through 

 Bush Wood and the next covert, and bore down the hill for Barbers, Mr. 

 Ned Ball was not the only one who found his horse had had enough, as he 



Running for Barbers 



slugged his head on the bit. The light weights and those who had a bit of 

 blood under them shot to the front, Mr. Avila and Mr. Sworder leading all 

 the way to Barbers, and though some of the fences required jumping, 

 horses' blood was up, and they would turn or jump just where you asked 

 them, provided they were not done. Was Mr. Carr's getting pumped as it 

 fell with him out of the lane into the field near Barbers ? The huntsman's 

 horse slipped round, and Mrs, Sewell gave him a lead through the brook 

 into Barbers. With hounds to the far side ere they left it, for they were 

 running in covert ; out they came right under our feet, and swept down the 

 wood side. Don't say we over-ride hounds, for we waited there for them, 

 many of us, and the smile on the huntsman's face as he watched his 

 favourites dashing and fiinging across the open, before he jumped out 

 of the wood, one that ought to have been kodaked. The leading 



