40 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



hidden amongst a tangle of bents and brambles, an 

 intelligent-looking youngster retrieved, the same and 

 having dropped a number of pebbles therein he ap- 

 proached to within a yard of the stag and then com- 

 menced to rattle out the most diabolical discord it is 

 possible to imagine. The animal bore the row stoically 

 for a few moments and then, with a look of mild but 

 pained surprise at his tormentor, he sought the quiet 

 harbourage of the nighbouring wood. 



But look yonder at the velvet caps and splashes of 

 scarlet bobbing up and down above the hedgerow 

 bordering the road ! Hounds are coming and half -a - 

 hundred followers behind them ; our friend the 

 auctioneer conspicuous on a bright chestnut weight- 

 carrier of the right stamp. 



No sooner have the dappled beauties entered the 

 gateway than they pick up the scent, stream across the 

 field of roots, come to a momentary check over the stag's 

 recent banqueting place, and then away again and into 

 the covert with a crash of music that fills the dells and 

 valleys of the wood, and re-echoes among the hills. The 

 Master and hunt servants follow close in the wake of the 

 pack, while about a third of the field — the lady in the 

 brown habit leading the van — get a good start. On the 

 other hand, however, the majority of the followers stick 

 religiously to the main road which runs parallel with the 

 covert for some little distance, then takes a sharp turn 

 to the right and passes the far end of the wood. Among 

 the keenest of the highway brigade was Mr L — , who took 



