A GLORIOUS TERMINATION TO A LONG CHASE. 189 



the pace was terrific ; the hounds, with heads up, and sterns 

 down, running hard for their game, which they knew must be 

 sinking, and on ascending the hill side, he was viewed, not a 

 hundred yards before the leading couples, and in a few seconds 

 both disappeared over the brow of the hill. Few were there, 

 however, to witness this sight ; Will Beauchamp, Conyers, the 

 whips, Gwynne, and Tyler, with two or three farmers, being all 

 that remained, out of a very large field, to go in and finish. At 

 the foot of the hill, Beauchamp at once dismounted to relieve 

 his horse, which was nearly beaten, leading him up the ascent, 

 his example being followed by all the others, except young 

 Farmer Hazel, who still kept spurring his poor jaded animal. 



" Come along, squire," shouted he, on passing ; " I shall be 

 first to see the finish." 



" Of your horse. Hazel, in five minutes, unless you jump oflf 

 his back directly." The words had scarcely passed Beauchamp's 

 lips, before the horse reeled and fell under his rider, who had 

 hardly time to jump from the saddle ere he lay dead before 

 him. " I hope. Hazel," said Beauchamp, " that will be a lesson 

 to you through life, never to ride another willing horse to 

 death," as the young farmer stood in silent dismay surveying 

 the dead carcase of his too honest animal. The example and 

 warning were not lost on the rest, and Beauchamp exclaimed, 

 " There is no occasion to hurry now, as the hounds have killed 

 their fox." 



On gaining the summit of the hill, the pack was seen about 

 a mile a-head on the open ground in a group, despatching the 

 remains of as gallant a fox as ever broke covert. Beauchamp 

 and Conyers, with Stiles, trotted leisurely down to the spot, 

 which Charley had already reached with Gwynne and Tyler, 

 both light weights on thorough-bred horses. 



" By Jove ! " shouted Bob, in an ecstacy of delight, " this is 

 a most glorious wind-up to the very best run I have ever seen 

 in my life. Now, Gwynne, what do you say to Will being a 



d d slow coach, in making his hounds hunt out the line for 



the first three or four miles 1 " 



" I say, Bob, he is a much cleverer hand in dealing with a 

 pack of hounds than I am with a pack of cards, and few can 

 beat me at that game. But how are we, Bob, as to the topo- 

 graphical ? " 



" Not quite at the Land's End yet, but over thirty miles from 

 home, as I saw the town of Snowdon to our right, when we 

 were climbing the hilL" 



