310 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



cried the enraptured huntsman ; ^^ he's a tough one, 

 my lads, and a traveller; but, please the pigs, we'll 

 handle him before the moon's up." 



For three miles Will Headman had it all to 

 himself, the pace being such that no rider, however 

 good, without a good start, could get near them. 



'' Ha ! we are a trifle too hard upon him," he 

 muttered. " He can't hold his ground up wind to 

 Beacon Hill earths at this pace. He knows it, and 

 so do I. Therefore he'll try to shake us off in 

 Batcombe" — a covert of more than a hundred acres 

 which the hounds had just reached — "push up a 

 fresh one, too, perhaps, if he can ; but — well — I wish 

 Jem were with us. He has taken his measure as 

 well as I have, no doubt, and will know him again." 



The pack went streaming up the middle of the 

 drive, their huntsman close in their wake, when they 

 turned about midway into the high wood, bearing 

 to the left, with every tongue let loose as if they 

 were in view of their fox. 



" Capital !" exclaims Will Headman in raptures; 

 " nothing can be better ! " and he pressed forward 

 with energy up a blind trackway to be with them. 

 A welcome scream greets his ear as he tears through 

 briars and blackthorns. 



" Jem's view, halloo ! by all that^s lucky ; but how 

 got he there ? " 



In a few seconds the hounds are outside the wood 

 hedge, and not a hundred yards behind appears the 

 head of their huntsman, scrambling through the 

 hazel sticks often years' growth, his face besmeared 

 with blood. 



