THE J^OBLE SCIENCE. 167 



libly gone, the huntsman has enough to do to mahitain 

 his composure and presence of mind. Now for his 

 head-piece ; now for a moment's thought. The field is 

 ten or fifteen acres in extent ; the furrow, five hundred 

 yards in length. Here are the plough-teams, noiv causing 

 confusion enough ; but where were they when the fox 

 was at this point ? A moment's consideration will tell 

 that they must have been on the other side of the field, 

 " Did you see the fox ?" " No, I never zeed un." " No, 

 because he was barely within your sight." Three 

 ploughs, and their accompaniments, sufficiently account 

 for a check on the line ; but do not hold back at once ; 

 do not too readily take for granted that he has headed 

 or changed his point — cast forward in the line we were 

 running beyond the ploughs — the hounds have made 

 good their own cast, to the right, and are flashing to 

 the left, striving in vain for a particle of the scent so 

 lately enjoyed — so suddenly dissipated. "Put 'em on,- 

 Jem." Now quietly cast them o'er the brow. They 

 have it : — 



" Yoick forward again, and again, 

 Have at him, have at him, across the green plain." 



The check has scarcely occupied two minutes, afford- 

 ing a moment of relief to the horses, and of merry 

 interchange of " chaff"," to the men. " What a proper 

 purl Lord Would-be has had, with Mr. Hasty almost 

 upon him ! Are they either of them hurt ? — Not at all. 

 Would-be was shook ; but he was up again, and soon in 



