A GALLOP 515 



parties stood in the way, and headed our buck from his point. 

 Major and Miss Talbot had, however, viewed him, as he turned 

 leftward ; not a moment was lost in regaining his line ; and 

 onward we scrambled through the mazy forest as fast as we 

 could dart and zigzag. The Brockenhurst-and-Lyndhurst road 

 was recrossed after skirting New Park ; and the chase went on 

 through Hollands Wood, the Lawn, and by the Victoria Tile 

 Yard. The names are, I believe, correct ; but in my own mind 

 and memory there are stamped only a headlong career through 

 gorse, heather, and holly ; then a several minutes' dive through 

 open woodland the pack well together, and driving alongside 

 an inclosure paling then a turn into one of these big inclosures 

 Mr. Lovell, in spite of one arm, being quickest thither and 

 quickest to swing the gate, before bringing his horn out to cheer 

 on the stragglers and the field. Then a hurried mile or two by 

 broad green rides, with a wealth of pinetree-j ungle on either side, 

 and then, outside, a minute's check, where a woodman had driven 

 the buck back into covert, and the eager pack running breast 

 high had overshot the mark. Allen was off his horse in a 

 moment to clear the iron fencing. Hounds swung deftly back to 

 him ; and immediately a deep-toned note proclaimed that the 

 line was Forrard once more. (All this in Stubby Copse.) 

 Now the railway (L. & S. W.) was reached. A broad grass 

 track lay between the high wire fencing and the adjoining wood ; 

 not a bridge opened a loophole beneath the line ; and the buck, 

 forced clean away from home and water, had nothing for it but 

 to hold forward for life or death. For a mile or so the leading 

 couples raced hard along the rank turf the tail hounds, 

 momentarily slipped by the recent check, struggling hard to 

 make up their ground to the Master's horn and Miss Lo veil's 

 cheer. " There he goes ! " the old glad signal that has prefaced 

 death, and glory, to many a hundred reynard. And there, up 

 the greenride was bobbing the white flag of the prize ahead. 

 Through the topmost corner of Woodfidley he disappeared ; and 

 we cut the plantation-angle to issue upon Denny Bog and its 

 wide vista of red heather and swamp. Ye tally ho ! Out he 



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