102 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



It is in splendid writing order now ; and students dip heartily 

 in it, to inscribe themselves on the scroll of notoriety. The 

 rides of Barkby Holt alone form an inkpot to confer a day's 

 immortality on the plunger (" ex uno discat qui coatum scarlet 

 habebat" vide Grammar Rugbiensis, p. 83), English and 

 Irish classics may have been on the decline ; but Gallic rose 

 briskly as ever, after a thrice-repeated check. (Typical 

 Developments illustration suggested, Two Quorn Fridays Mr. 

 Sturgess, please note !) But the subject for an artist artist, 

 let us presume, being mounted sufficiently well to laugh at 

 a blind ditch and to take out his pencil as he flew an oxer 

 was the most gallant of all gallant men, who rode the 

 whitest of all white horses (and rode him with the longest 

 of spurs and heartiest of hearts). Superlative knew all about 

 it the white horse knew nothing. Can you wonder then 

 that Superlative legged it across two ploughed fields to start 

 with ? Accept this, and believe that Superlative cut out the 

 work through the first fence following the early check, cleaned 

 out the ditch and levelled the hedge that had the imperti- 

 nence to present itself next ? A bridge, a ford ! Pshaw ! 

 Keep these for non-hunting countries ! Give me a milk- 

 white steed with his head on the bank and his ro welled flanks 

 laved in mid-stream. A bold good man, though. May we 

 soon see him on a better horse ! 



But the run of Friday was from Scraptoft Gorse. The 

 pack had worked through its bare remnant, and were being 

 carried on to the Holt beyond when a single old hound 

 ferreted a fox out of a thorn bush. At this time there were 

 horses and people enough to fill half a mile of the lane leading 

 from Hall to Holt ; and now they had to spread in pursuit 

 as best they might. Most of them, it must be allowed, at 

 once got inextricably involved in their own numbers. But, as 

 usual, the few leading ready spirits of the year slipped to the 

 front as if by magic. Capt. Smith was half across the first 

 field before anyone else was out of the lane : then half a 

 dozen others broke loose at once from different points and 



