THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



159 



Leamington, even now appearing as fresh as ever. 

 Within half a mile of the Royal Spa he got to ground, 

 and assuredly if ever a fox deserved to save his brush 

 he did. Three delds before he was lost the hounds 

 were running him in view, but he was evidently only 

 easing himself for a fresh effort, for he 

 spurted again and fairly out-paced his pursuers', 

 racing away clean out of sight in the open. There was 

 neither covert nor visible drain about the spot where 

 he was lost, and so extraordinary was his strength 

 and behaviour throughout, that had the run taken 

 place in the old times, his pursuers would doubtless 

 have concluded that they had been coursing the evil 

 one himself, and would have gone home, silent and 

 shivering with fright, and seen to the horse-shoes 

 over their stable doors. The time was as near as pos- 

 ■ible two hours, and there was no check of any 

 account. Those at the finish were select and few. 

 Sir Charles Mordaunt ably took the place of the 

 master, Mr. Lucy not being out, and Mr. Holland 

 Corbett and Jem Adams, an old footman, should be 

 mentioned as being well to the front. There were 

 several hard men from the Heythrop country present. 



On the sixth of this month a very fair day was 

 had from Mitford Bridge. Frost made the morning 

 not a very promising one, but a fox was soon off in 

 capital form towards Weston Heath. He disdained 

 to spoil sport here and turned as if for Barton Grove, 

 but then turned again to the left and crossed Wolford 

 Heath, through Little Wolford, and over an ugly 

 brook, which fortunately had a good supply of bridges, 

 or the field would have been out of it as completely 

 as they were in a run given in my last chapter. Only 

 one essayed it — young Frederick Walker, and he 

 got a regular souser. After this the pace increased. 

 The hounds were running in view and the pace became 

 of the hottest description towards Wolford Wood. 

 He was, however, run into in the open, having given 



Mr. H. Spencer 



Lucy. 



1866-1876. 



A brave finish. 



A fair day at Mit- 

 ford Bridge. 



