RIDING TO HOUXnS 31 



man pointed out. " D'ye see that hound, sir ? 

 Well, when vou see him zo to the front the fox 

 is sinking." 



So when I saw old Remus with his hackles 

 up straining to the front, I w^ould sit down, sure 

 that I could be a little prodigal of the horse's 

 strength, for the end was not far off. 



Once more, a poor man must not make long- 

 days, and if he is heavy must jog steadily off 

 home when his horse has had enough. It is 

 hard to turn your back on the hounds, harder 

 still should the siren voices ring in your ears 

 from behind a hill running parallel to the line 

 of your homeward route, but turn up your coat 

 collar over your ears and jog doggedly on. 

 Then if the distance be lono- and hills be 

 Steep get off and walk, boot leather is cheaper 

 than horse flesh. The hunter which suits him 

 is to the poor man far above rubies, though 

 a "pony" or two might have been his original 

 price. 



I had once a mare which, after a long day, 

 would look round at me as much as to say, 

 " Now when are you coining off? " The bridle 

 slipped over my arm she w^ould trot along by 

 my side for a mile or so, and when I remounted 

 w^ould trot off merrily till the next hill, when she 

 would look round again to see if I meant 

 coming off. 



