104 THE ETON COLLEGE HUNT. 



pace which tries our wind terribly. The pack head straight for 

 a sort of island farm which lies on a hill side in the middle of the 

 heather, cross it, and, emerging once more at the top of the 

 hill, run beautifully over the heathery flat until they come to a 

 main road, where they check long enough to enable the huntsman 

 to get up to them. 

 - A pretty picture is displayed ! A fine stretch of heather 

 extending for some miles, through which the old main road from 

 London to Portsmouth runs, with now and again considerable 

 stretches of fir woods forming a dark fringe to the view, whilst 

 over the fir tops the sun, just emerging, adds a sparkling 

 brightness to the landscape, which would be alone sufiicient to 

 repay the early start. The busy pack makes a beautiful fore- 

 ground, flinging here and there in search of the momentai'ily 

 vanished clue. Mark that veteran of the pack, well known for 

 his wide and independent casts; the huntsman's eye is on him, 

 and he moves quietly in his direction, without, however, so much 

 as whistling to his hounds. 



He has judged wisely, for Challenger unmistakably has the 

 line and speaks to it confidently, just as the huntsman gets near 

 enough to put in with good effect, *' Hark to Challenger ! " and 

 hounds, flying to cry, take up the running with a chorus which 

 it does one's heart good to hear. They have, however, only 

 run about a hundred yards when they check quite suddenly, once 

 more spreading out like a fan. But they are only momentarily 

 at fault. Poor puss is down, her heart having failed her after 

 coming about two miles straight, and she is up and off in view 

 as soon as the hounds, who have slightly overrun the scent, 

 spread back to where she has clapped. She heads for home, and 

 hounds run fast for another fifteen minutes before checking on 

 the island farm which they crossed in the first burst. 



The sun is getting strong by this time, and scent does not 

 serve so well on the arable land. Hounds slowly carry the line 

 into the middle of a newly ploughed hillside field, and gradually 

 come to a stop. Evidently the hare is forward, so, after leaving 

 his hounds alone sufficiently long to enable them to recover the 

 line, unassisted if they can, the huntsman resolves on a cast 

 " forrard." He whistles his hounds to him, and at a gentle 

 double casts them round the fence from about opposite to where 

 they checked, keeping his hounds in front of him, and giving 

 them time to try as they go. Almost immediately one of the 

 puppies speaks, and out pops a rabbit right under his nose. The 

 huntsman rates *' Ware rabbit ! " and, very much to their credit, 

 none of the old hounds break away. It is, however, altogether 



