210 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



" Where's lie gone ? " asked Jem, still keeping 

 in advance, as lie reached the spot where sat 

 Woodcraft, coolly contemplating this new scene of 

 pastures green. 



" Across this field,'" was the reply ; " and he 

 jumped the fence close to that ash-tree yonder/'* 



" How long ago ? " 



"Fifteen minutes, at least/' 



" Then it's no go — we can't recover him/' 



" I will, if your hounds are worth their pud- 

 ding." 



" Pray, sir," asked Jem, " what may you be 

 pleased to call yourself? Miracles are out of date 

 in this countiy/' 



" One who has hunted hounds before you were 

 born, you fool I" was Dick's indignaijt rejoinder. 



" Well, uncle," quoth Tom, " I thought we 

 should never see you again." 



" Turned up like a trump, at last," said Dick ; 

 " but now put 'em down at the fence by that old 

 ash-tree, and they'll hit it then at once ; give 'em 

 time, Tom, and let's see if they can hunt as well as 

 run. Any curs can do the last. Up wind, with 

 a burning scent close to your fox's brush, and 

 down wind a long way behind him, are very 

 different affairs." 



The flyers did not relish the change, and a few 

 old hounds only felt disposed to work on the line, 

 which they did, rather improving their pace for 

 two or three fields. The fast men were beginning 

 their usual murmurings about " deuced slow," " a 

 good day lost, "&c., when the master said, "Give 



