136 " MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE ! " 



was very near. This came on suddenly, and I had never 

 felt the same before, but it was unmistakable. Just 

 then Dugdale said : " We are miles in front of the hounds. 

 Is it necessary for us to race into Rugby ? " 



This was a splendid chance for me to agree to ease 

 down, but by that time I had almost abandoned hope 

 of getting to Rugby at all, let alone racing there, and so, 

 to keep him in suspense as long as possible, I said : " No ; 

 I think we ought to race ! " 



So he resigned himself to the continued effort, for about 

 another two hundred yards, and then I told him to race 

 home by himself I was going to walk. 



He jogged on with a relieved expression, but for me 

 to walk was easier said than done, for no sooner had I 

 stopped for a moment than it became desperately difficult 

 to avoid reeling into the ditch on one side or the other 

 of the wide road. I was just like a foundered horse, and 

 almost in despair, more especially when, glancing back; I 

 saw a white figure half-a-mile or more behind but striding 

 along fast. 



This I took to be one of our own hounds, and the idea 

 of being not only beaten for time but being actually caught 

 and passed seemed so dreadful that somehow or other I 

 staggered and blundered into another run and bored along 

 in dire distress, every now and again casting a glance back 

 at that pursuing figure. He was overhauling me all the 

 time as inexorable as Fate, but I am sure the effort I 

 managed to screw out would never have been forthcoming 

 had it not been for him. I was within half-a-mile of Rugby 

 now and could hear his steps behind. I gave up looking 

 and still struggled on until whoosh ! he passed me as if 

 I was standing still, and called out : " You're all right. 

 Your fellows are best part of half-an-hour behind you/' 



It was the great long-distance runner, Charlie Bulpett, 

 training over the last three miles, and I, poor wretch ! 

 had been trying to get away from him after going the 

 full course. 



Thank goodness; all the same, he hunted me home as 



