256 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



come ! " And twenty couples or more came charging across 

 the field, followed by thirty-five or forty riders. 



Instantly, I must confess, I was carried away with de- 

 light. There could not be a prettier picture of a hunt. 

 On came the hounds, heads down, working like pointers 

 along the line across the field directly toward us. They 

 were upon us in a moment, jumping from the field into 

 the lane and out of the lane into another field within a few 

 rods of where we stood. The Doctor put about, and away 

 we raced little Kitty out of the lane, into the highway, 

 and down the road on a dead run. The mud fiew like 

 sparks from a pinwheel twenty feet in every direction, 

 plastering our backs. *' No matter ; rub it off when it gets 

 dry ! " cried the Doctor. '' We must have another view." 



Presently up behind us came Miss F with a friend, 



a lady, driving a pair of thoroughbreds harnessed to a buck- 

 board, the horses running as fast as they could lay foot to 

 the mud. The sight of these young ladies as they passed 

 us, the lines lying loose on the backs of the charging 

 steeds, was enough to electrify a stone. 



"That 's the sort ! " shouted the Doctor. "Go on ! " 



A smile and a nod, and away they flew again. The 

 Doctor let out another link in the little mare's speed, and, 

 be it said to the credit of the gamest bit of horse-flesh of 

 her inches I ever saw, the little mare raced on for half a 

 mile to the turn in the road to Mount Morris, setting the 

 pace for Miss F 's thoroughbreds. 



A dozen carriages were waiting at this turn. The 

 hounds were at fault only a moment, however, and finally 

 crossed the Mount Morris road and went straight along 



