I\ Sl'lTK OF THE FROST, SIR 367 



It was only a small ditch, but Colonel Fane's horse seemed to prefer the 

 bottom of it to the further side. It was amusin<2^ certainly to watch the 

 amount of hesitation and craning that went on after this one refusal. 



Turning off in the opposite direction I had the satisfaction in a few 

 minutes of seeing hounds coming right back on to Kelvedon Common, 

 where there was a slight check. Noting one hound running under a hedge 

 by himself, it was very gratifying to see tlie body of the pack pick up the 

 line as Bailey cast them right down to the spot, and away they went over 

 the road towards Poles Wood. That road affords me the opportunity of 

 givmg the names of those who had been really riding to hounds all through 

 the run, names that I have given over and over again in the past — names 

 that I hope to give over and over again in the future. 



Poles Wood 



Never have I had a fairer opportunity of judging, for though I was 

 more or less on the road all the time, I never lost sight of the chase for 

 more than a minute until it -was practically all over in the Kelvedon 

 coverts. The pioneers had to come over some rails into the road, and a 

 nasty jump it was, even without the drop. Mr. R. Lockwood was the 

 first to negotiate them jumping off; his horse popped over like a bird. 

 Mr. Barnes followed suit, displaying much more agility than his quad. 

 The Master and Major Carter tackled them without dismounting. If to 

 these names I add those of Major Wilson and Mr, Caldecott, you will then 

 know who skimmed the cream, and who rode in the front line all the time. 

 By the time they left Poles Wood they had been running one hour 

 twenty minutes. The usual gate out of that covert had been done up, 

 and the jump out was not inviting. No, not after the rails were taken 

 down did landing into a bog off a slab of ice have any fascination for me. 

 I much prefered to turn tail and eat my sandwiches, even if I lost the 

 hounds, but I couldn't lose them that day, for Bailey was back again 

 directly, and the Curtis Mill fox has yet to be caught. 



