352 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



covered over witli long grass, cannot be tripped over 

 by a half-blown horse with a loosish rein, except on 

 the usual terms of heels over head. 



Such an obstacle occurred in the burst we were 

 about describing, midway between find and finish ; 

 and the number down at the sweeping was — we 

 were going to say, marvellous — yet there was no 

 marvel in the case. Every man had fixed his eye upon 

 the hounds, as they were running away from him; 

 and, there being no fences to crane at or funk, each 

 thought of riding over the Newmarket course or a 

 nicely kept bowling green; and to a certain point all 

 went pleasantly and comfortably enough, although 

 their horses did not go quite so rapidly as antici- 

 pated. In short, every man fancied himself upon a 

 thoroughbred in tip-top condition, simply because he 

 was riding a race over turf; and we need scarcely 

 note their disgust when disabused of these day- 

 dreams by a sudden change into midnight, when 

 hosts of stars seemed glittering around them. As 

 in the charge of cavalry at Balaklava, every third 

 man of the first rank went down; the majority coming 

 out of the vale, and not accustomed to such ins and 

 outs without seeing a fence before them, went down 

 also ; but the hill men rode more carefully, knowing 

 the risk to life and limb in going fast over such 

 treacherous ground, and the ruck extending some 

 two miles en arriere, profited by the example set 

 them by their betters in pace. 



" Steady, squire,^^ cried Will Headman to Mr. 

 Staveley, as they were approaching the trackways, 

 '' pull him up, sir, into a trot ; it can't be done 



