78 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



of " Catherine." Neither by coaxing, thrashing, nor 

 swearing, however, could he persuade his fiery 

 " Bucephalus " to stand for a moment, for the hound- 

 music had stirred up some of the blood that in her 

 youthful days had gained a famous name for the old 

 huntress in the field. " Sure, an' ye may as well thry to 

 stop the tide wid a pitchfork," despairingly muttered 

 Denis, as with aching arms he once more let Kitty have 

 her head. 



The words were scarcely uttered when down dropped 

 the beaver once more over his eyes, and up went the 

 mare's heels, sending him flying head foremost into a 

 bed of rank weeds and nettles. But little the worse for 

 his " purler," 0' Grady, still holding the bridle-rein, 

 scrambled to his feet, the whole of his head and face, 

 with the exception of a small portion of chin, enveloped 

 in the concertina -hke folds of the antique beaver. 

 Feeling his way along the reins, he extricated himself 

 from the venom-laden herbage, and then with his free 

 hand proceeded to remove the blinding headgear. 



" An' it's standin' there ye are, lookin' so silly an' 

 sneerin' afther thryin' to break your masther's neck, ye 

 ungrateful ould buck-jumper," angrily exclaimed the 

 fallen rider. " But sure, an' ye' 11 have the dacency to 

 let me get asthride iv your bellows again," he continued, 

 making a few desperate but ineffectual thrusts at the 

 rusty stirrup-iron with the clumsy toe of this clog. But 

 Kitty grew more restive than ever, and tried her hardest 

 to shoulder Denis into the ditch running at the side of 



