34 Random Recollections of the 



bodies and slipped away scathless. Reynard 

 had earned the immnnity which his adroitness 

 secured, for, after hounds had recovered their 

 surprise at having missed their prey, they ran 

 smartly into Ingoldsby Wood, where the fox 

 gained a safer asylum, and was left to enjoy 

 the sweets of victory. 



There was a lot of fun in Lord Forester's 

 time, and his lordship, who enjoyed a joke 

 immensely, was sure to be down upon anybody 

 who happened to over-talk himself, and on one 

 occasion scored quietly over a farmer whose 

 horse had frequently shewn a wayward temper. 

 On the animal appearing more subdued, and 

 Lord Forester remarking upon the improve- 

 ment, the farmer replied, ^' Oh yes, my lord, I 

 never ride him with spurs now." '' Humph," 

 exclaimed his lordship, tapping his boot with his 

 hunting whip, '' What have you got on now? " 

 the spurs being there as usual, but the wearer 

 had overlooked that little fact. One day, in 

 Goodall's time, I don't recollect in what year, 

 hounds had met at Leadenham, and it came on 

 a regular deluge. We drew covert after covert 

 without finding, making in the direction of 

 Belvoir ; the atmosphere was black and 



