" A LASS F FROCKS ! " 37 



But despite hounds driving him hard and close our 

 fox had had too much of the open to take to it again in 

 a hurry, and it was soon manifest he was "back," by 

 some cunning wile or other. Up the hill again perforce 

 we went, Jack calling on me to put the hounds to him, 

 and when I could but ill perform such an exploit, being 

 almost wholly occupied in keeping clear of the trees, I 

 heard the uncomplimentary remark muttered in front : 

 " Rot him ! He's ne mair use than a lass i' frocks ! " 



So there we clattered backwards and forwards in this 

 bit of cover and wasted time and temper. 



My own failure to rise to the occasion I have been 

 careful to recall in Jack's own words, lest it should be 

 thought that I have any vainglorious ideas about that 

 run. 



Jack's horse once more came to grief, and this time 

 rolled on to him and lay there, while he, so far as being 

 concerned about it, continued calling to his hounds, 

 "Yut in there, Ravager!" etc., etc., as if nothing had 

 happened. I managed to get the old horse pulled up, 

 and Jack, after shaking himself, calmly remounted. 



Just then many of the field, having at length found 

 out the way, came up with much noise and clattering, 

 inclined, of course, to underrate the whole performance. 

 However, as if he had waited for them, the fox took 

 upon himself to slip away again. A loud " Tally-ho ! " 

 from an enthusiastic yokel proclaimed his departure, 

 and his now augmented pursuers settled themselves to 

 the chase. 



I saw a gate handy on to the road close by, which led 

 in the direction hounds were making towards, and I 

 hurried through it, closely followed by Lord Feversham 

 and preceded by a trousered man on a white horse, who 



