HACK-HUNTING. 499 



as his own, the farther I invariably fall behind, till at last it 

 seems as if the world held nothing but me and my horse oh 

 yes, and always one other twain (much more hopeful and 

 beaming). But never mind. Tired of giving reign to my 

 fancy as to what might be going on where a hundred pair of 

 shoulders were shrugging, and all seemed brisk and easy, as 

 they danced to the music that led them I kicked in the one 

 spur that misfortune has left me, struck a line of gates, flustered 

 through hole and gap, and flung forward with an energy and 

 success that would have done credit to Mr. Jorrocks or a 

 butcher boy. So I saw hounds enter Frankton Wood, pulled 

 out my watch, and mopped my forehead with the best of them. 

 Five-and-thirty minutes I marked it down then heard with 

 some misgiving (I am bound to confess) the holloa forward and 

 away, and realised that the run was not yet over. They drove 

 on a mile or two to Frankton Village ; then, turning down the 

 wind, could move only slowly to Baughton near which village 

 their fox beat them, at the end of about an hour from the find. 



K K 2 



