NEARLY TOO LATE 335 



as it ran throuo-h the Lower Forest ; we reached the tryst just 

 five minutes too late, for we could see the pink coats on the 

 point of entering- the big woods of Gaynes Park. No hurry, we 

 thought ; not so the horse. He didn't know he was out for a 

 hunt at first, couldn't make the snow out, but now he began to 

 bore and pull to get to the front. 



Skirting the deep lane which runs between the woods, we 

 expected to come across hounds in the covert ; but they had 

 gone on, leaving the woodlands behind, to draw Beachetts, a 

 covert lying some mile beyond, and had plunged into it before 

 we could get there, and only a whip and three or four horsemen 

 were doing sentinel duty where the roads branch off. 



For those who know these woods, and the run of the foxes 

 — lessons gained by early cubbing experiences— //z^7t is a short 

 cut, and if zve had n't taken it ivc should still have arrived Jive 

 minutes too late in the side ride, in which at its topmost point, 

 where it commands the best view of the deep recesses of the 

 covert, the Master, Mr. Chaffey-Collin, and Mr. Howard 

 Fowler, were already grouped on the alert. Hounds found the 

 moment we arrived, and in less than a minute a ringing " View 

 halloa " from the south side proclaimed they were away. 



What mattered the snow and the frost now, as we Hew 

 down the road and branched off down one of the side rides 

 just in time to see Easterby capping them on. How one 

 bungled and fumbled at the little hand-gate, dropping the 

 reins altogether in eager impatience to open it. Clear of 

 the wood, hounds ran parallel to the road on the left and 

 crossed into Hill Hall Park, but in less than five minutes 

 the excitement of a good start and the prospect of a good 

 run had come to an end — not, however, before the huntsman 

 as representing the staff, and Mr. Sworder the field, had 

 demonstrated that the frost was not quite out of the banks. 



But there was little left on the plough, still less on the turf, 

 and the slow hunting run by Shalesmore to Suttons afforded, 

 at all events, the opportunity of taking stock of those who had 

 either the hardihood, good luck, or temerity to cheat the frost 

 out of a day. Who were they ? PVom the Harlow side : the 

 Master, Mr. Loftus Arkwright, Capt. Bruce, Mr. Fowler, 

 Mr. Steele, Mr. Swire, Mr Barclay, M.H., Mrs. Barclav, 

 Mr. C. Collin, Mr. Lyall, Mr. Hart, jun., Mr. E. Pelly, Mr. N. 

 Gilbey, Mr. Crocker. F'rom Abridge : Col. Lockwood, Mr. 

 D. Cunliffe-Smith, Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Avila, Mr. Sworder, 

 Mr. J. Miller, Miss G. Waters. From Ongar : Mr. Price, 

 Mr. Hull, jun. PVoni Loughton : Mr. C. ¥,. Cireen. Captain 



