THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



"they are going to cut a d — d canal through the best part 

 of our country " ; a thing of all others, by the way, most wanted 

 by the inhabitants of it, and which would benefit, instead of 

 injuring it as a hunting country.' 



' How so, Somerby ? ' said Sir William. 



' Why, in consequence of the present great scarcity of coals, 

 from want of water carriage,' continued Mr. Somerby, ' you 

 will find, in many parts of Northamptonshire, three high and 

 strong blackthorn hedges, where one only would be required. 

 The object in planting three, is, that one may be fit to cut 

 down for fuel at a certain period, and the others follow in 

 succession. I have often been stopped by these fences, 

 which, as you may imagine, nothing without wings can get 

 over. 



' But the other anecdote,' resumed Mr. Somerby ; ' I must 

 not forget that, as I see my little friend is on the listen for 

 it. There was a parson in the Pytchley country, sadly given 

 to press upon hounds, a fault never forgiven by huntsmen. 

 It happened that, one day, the parson dropped short in a 

 deep brook, and as he was floundering about in the middle of 

 it, Dick rode clean over him, with these words in his mouth : 

 " His reverence swims like a cork ; hut never mind him ; this is 

 only Friday, and he wont he wanted till Sunday." At a subse- 

 quent time there was another of these inconsiderate riders 

 with his hounds, who, although well known in the sporting 

 world, happened to be a stranger to Dick Knight. Moreover, 

 he was clad in a blue coat, which added nothing to his appear- 

 ance and character, in Dick's eyes. At length the gentleman 

 got an awful fall, his horse rolling over him, and he lay as 

 if he were dead. " There," exclaimed Dick ; " thank God, we 



have done with you ! " In a few minutes, however, Mr. G ■ 



was in his place again, when Knight, observing him, coolly said 

 to himself, " A resurrection before the time, to a certainty. I 

 liad hoiked never to have seen you again in this world. I ivonder 

 what you'll do next ?" ' 



' What a funny fellow that Dick Knight must have been, 

 papa,' said Frank. 



'Oh,' said Sir William, *we have not done with him yet, 

 Frank. I was out with the Pytchley, once, when we thought 

 we were in for a blank day. In fact, it was three o'clock, and 

 not a tongue to a fox had been heard. At last a hound, called 



50 



