BEASTS OF THE CHASE.— THE STAG. 57 



leave their confreres to endure their disappointment as best 

 they may. A move is made. The visitors pull up their girths, 

 test the length of their stirrups, and prepare for a burst over 

 the moors. They little know what is in store for them, though 

 they express to one another some surprise at the indifference to 

 the proceedings displayed by the local sportsmen. However, 

 they leave the provincials to take care of themselves and trot 

 down the hills after Arthur and the tufters, prepared to have the 

 day's sport to themselves. There is no dwelling on the part of 

 Arthur, and while the visitors have been engaged in conversa- 

 tion, they discover that they have been left in the lurch and 

 must gallop along the hard road at the bottom, that they may 

 ascertain which direction he has taken. 



They cannot see him, for he has turned up the hill into the 

 cover, about two hundred yards forward. They have, however 

 the satisfaction of hearing his voice, and the stones rolling 

 under his horse's feet. Very soon a hound opens. ' Hush ! is 

 that right ? ' comes from half a dozen voices. Arthur's cheer 

 settles the doubt. Then another hound challenges. ' Where's 

 Arthur ? What are the hounds doing ? Good Heavens, why 

 Arthur is going out at the top! How the deuce did he get 

 there ? ' Happily a local sportsman with an expression of calm 

 satisfaction comes to the rescue with ' All right, gentlemen, get 

 you back to the meet as quickly as you can, or the hounds 

 will go without 'ee.' 



We turn our horses' heads, beat a retreat up the slippery, 

 narrow lane, find three-fourths of the field standing by their 

 horses, and chatting— as cool as cucumbers. 'We have done 

 something foolish, but what it is I can't explain,' says a cynical 

 sportsman, who has just arrived from the bottom, his horse's 

 flanks heaving as though the labours of the day have already 

 been more than he cares for. 



Presently, a smart groom arrives on a quick blood-like little 

 horse, and loses no time in communicating to his lordship that 

 Arthur has stopped the hounds just outside the cover on the 

 round hill. All then is bustle and excitement. The barn 



