82 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1882 



No sooner were they out of sight than the fox slipped 

 quietly out and stole off. 



It is odd, in the annals of the Meynell, how often this 

 has happened. In the time of the present Squire's grand- 

 father, old Tom drew this very covert blank, and its owner 

 insisted on its being tried again — much to the huntsman's 

 disgust — and there proved to be a brace of foxes there. 

 Again, as one amongst many instances, the Mavesyn Rid- 

 ware osiers were drawn blank by Charles, when the present 

 Squire, then Master, saw a fox steal out and go back. On 

 drawing it again, it was discovered that there were several 

 foxes there. 



To return to " Plantagenet," and the day which he 

 described. To quote his own words : " Thus our best 

 chance of a good run was lost, and the dulness of a 

 slightly frosty morning had by this time given place to 

 bright sunshine, that gave little promise of conditions 

 favourable to hunting as the day advanced. Parson's 

 Gorse proved to be blank also, but from a narrow plan- 

 tation, close at hand, scarcely wider than a hedgerow, 

 Walter whipped a good fox up, and, if he could have 

 halloaed loud enough, hounds might have got away close 

 to his brush. Hoarse from a severe cold, however, the 

 Whip could hardly utter a scream, and half the field never 

 knew what had happened until they saw a score of pursuers 

 in wild career disappearing down the valley towards Dal- 

 bury. The pace was merry enough for a time, hounds 

 settling down and racing over the grass with a will. Run 

 hard as they might, however, they could not get away 

 from the leading division, in which were the Master, Miss 

 Beckett-Denison, Miss Leigh,* Lord Harrington (who rode 

 with his arms in straps, as if broken collar-bones or dis- 

 located shoulders were nothing to him), Mr. Pierrepoint, 

 the huntsman, and Mr. Tom Smith of Worcester, who soon 

 made up for a bad start, and got to the front, as he always 

 does, whatever he may be riding. This day he was on a 

 recent purchase of Lord Harrington's, and, with a clever 



* Now IMrs. Fort. 



