76 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



skirting Dure Down as if for the Chains. The Master 

 is close behind them. A mile away on the right one 

 pink coat is leading a large contingent of the field to 

 Brendon Two Gates. 



Tucker gallops across Black Pits on a track none 

 too sound, and throws his two couple of hounds right 

 in with the others as they come down Long Chains 

 Combe. Away on the shoulders of the hill we can 

 see the three stags speeding along with tufters close 

 behind them, while not two hundred yards off a herd 

 of some twenty startled hinds turn and watch the 

 fugitives, who but for the pace and the pressure 

 would have joined them. Twenty minutes more at 

 best speed over a lovely line of sound going brings 

 us to Saddler's Stone, and there, on the high ground 

 by Longstone, is another big herd. One stag joins 

 them, but the other two head away right-handed for 

 Woolhanger. 



After some time amongst the thick plantations, 

 giving horses a much-needed chance, a holloa back 

 tells us the deer have broken. Tufters are soon out 

 of covert on the line, and, running by Shallow Ford, 

 make their way for Furze Hill Common. Here, 

 welcome sight, the younger deer turns away down the 

 water, but the big stag, mindful of the security of the 

 Deer Park, sets his face to the eastward. But where 

 is the Master all this time ? He was with us to 

 Saddler's Stone. Seeing the turn things were taking 

 he has galloped hard back to Brendon Two Gates, 

 whence his signal can be seen at Toms Hill, and 



