2 30 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



"Whoo! whoop! Hey! Worry, worry!" she cried, 

 and the next moment a growHng, struggling mass had torn 

 the remnants of the fox limb from limb, with the silvery 

 notes of the horn sounding over the temporary tumult. 



'' We are well out of that," Lavvy said to Jack Morgan with 

 a smile, taking a few steps towards him, thrusting her horn 

 into the breast of her coat and wiping her hands on an 

 exceptionally large handkerchief which she had brought out 

 for the purpose. Her back was towards Mr. Tucker, whom 

 she had forgotten, but Jack could see the coming outburst 

 and promptly dismounted. In th^ distance scattered horse- 

 men were coming up, who had learned from Alf Diccox the 

 direction the chase had taken. 



** What's the use of my writing to say 'ounds weren't to 

 touch my coverts ? " Mr. Tucker inquired, with intervals 

 between the words, caused by the necessity of pumping 

 oxygen into his lungs. " This place is mine, and what's 

 mine is my own, and I won't 'ave it." 



Lavvy turned quickly, with the smile still upon her face, 

 and confronted the angry man whom she had altogether for- 

 gotten. Silas Tucker stood at several yards' distance by 

 reason of a certain suspicion with which he regarded the 

 hounds, a suspicion which was emphasised by the fact that 

 Foreman and Senator were having atug-of-war over a tough 

 morsel of the fox. He took a step or two backwards as the 

 struggle ended m favour of Foreman. 



" I'm exceedingly sorry, sir," Lavvy said. " We did all 

 we could to stop them between this and Hoxton Wood, but 

 the mill leat at first and then the wire prevented our getting 

 to them ; they only just touched the corner of the covert 

 yonder." 



Mr. Tucker was angry, and Mr. Tucker was used to 

 browbeat his dependants and rule his household as though 

 he lived in feudal times. Having right on his side, and his 

 orders having been disobeyed, and the two persons in red 

 coats being, as he supposed, hunt servants, he turned the 

 vials of his wrath upside down. 



