COCKAYNE HUNTS THE HOUNDS 



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pack, as they silently drew Barbers, Bush Grove, and the remainder of the 

 Hill Hall coverts. I will not recount the names of all the other preserves 

 drawn blank ; but in the Gaynes Park Wood a great dog fox was viewed, 

 to which hounds stuck for sixty minutes, mostly woodland hunting, until 

 they fairly pulled him down in the open near Mr. Hart's. 



Ikit the run of the day has yet to be described. It was getting late, and 

 the wind that came up from the east in cold and fitful puffs brought up a 

 dampish mist. Many had gone home, little recking what was in store ; 

 others dallied behind, of whom, more anon ; but a select few were fortunate 

 enougli to see hounds thrown into Harlow Park, the far side of which Jack 

 only just gained in time to get a view of the fox that broke across the road 

 for Latton Park. And a great dog fox it was that the first echo of Jim's 

 voice had startled from his kennel. Not a second did Jim lose getting the 

 hounds out of covert ; the ride through Latton lay handy enough to keep 



The Merry Fiddlers 



you in touch of hounds as they drove forward, gladdening the heart of old 

 Boatman (the keeper), as he got a view of pursued and pursuers. We were 

 impatient and in great hopes, as hounds ran steadily through the wood ; 

 but when they crossed our front for a moment, and a moment only, we 

 were in doubt. But forward away, in the direction of Parndon, set our 

 minds at rest, and we jostled as eagerly for the outlet to the open as a 

 schoolboy rushing for his playground. Mr. T. J. Mills was going very 

 strong up to Rye Hill Common. (There is only one drawback to the 

 common — there are two boggy watercourses running right across it, and 

 when hounds race over it as they did that night I will defy you to keep 

 pace with them.) The Master had a valuable horse in the grey he was 

 riding, for he was over the common as soon as anyone, and leading the van 

 as we steeplechased over the next two or three grass fields. 



