BEAGLING 18 = 



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 bright- 

 ness to the landscape, which would be alone sufficient 

 to repay the early start. The busy pack makes a 

 beautiful foreground, flinging here and there in search 

 of the momentarily 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 unmistak- 

 ably 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 4:hey check quite 



