242 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



behind, they ran to Hill Hall, close to the house, and struck across the 

 road just below Beachetts. By the way that they commenced running 

 over the grass fields of that good sportsman and friend to fox-huntmg, Mr. 

 John Miller, it was quite evident that there was a scent, as it was equally 

 apparent, by the determined manner in which T\Iessrs. Howard and Avila, 

 their nearest attendants except Bailey and Jack, sat down to ride, that they 

 did not mean to be left behind. 



Swinging up the hill, hounds turned through the spinney on its slope, 

 and went in a bee-line for Shalesmore, and well within touch of those on 

 the right riding parallel with the brook at the bottom, or the smaller con- 

 tingent—including Messrs. Howard, Bevan, McEvans, Avila, Sworder, and 

 Waltham— on the left, who gladly availed themselves of the convenient 

 line of gates to and through Tawney Hall farm to Shalesmore. How 

 fortunate that hounds never run mute through a covert, for out of sight 



,^ '^^^ 



T. J. Mill's Fagot Stack 



nothing but their sweet chiming gave us any clue to the point they were 

 driving for. Single file down the woodside, and then we viewed them out 

 at the bottom end. Crossing the road, they hovered on the brink of the 

 river. 



There was a ford to the right, and a bridge to the left, and the river ran between, 

 So we turned our horses, and galloped our best, though never a hound was seen, 



as Mr. Rudyard Kipling might have sung had he been with us. 



No, not until we had passed the Miller's house did we get a glimpse of 

 the pack, as, alone, they had run on over the water-meadows, only to 

 recross the river opposite Patch Park. Here, many— including the Hunts- 

 man, Messrs. Sworder, McEvans, Borwick, and Balloch — crossed the 

 river by the ford, only to find, after going over two or three more grass 

 fields, that hounds were turning back. 



And then came the turning point which, in every foxhunting run, as in 



