40 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



didn't appear to be — that he must in some way be a ' wrong 

 'un ' v;ith hounds, or the Honourable would not have sold 

 such a rare good mover at the price. 



Dropping back, and * tipping the wink ' to Mr. Jack Dash- 

 wood to do the same, the Baronet said to him in an undertone, 

 as he indicated the chestnut with a slight nod of his head — 



" Can't quite make this out, can you ? Seems quite quiet — 

 doesn't do anything — half thought he'd stand up when he got 

 into the crowd, but he really seems as quiet as a sheep. We 

 know he can jump and gallop, too " 



" Perhaps he can go, but can't go on," hazarded Jack. 

 " However, if we find a fox here, and he runs towards the 

 vale, we shall soon see. There's some holding meadows there, 

 not to mention the big bottoms we'll have to jump, which'll 

 stop any horse with a weak spot anywhere about him." 



" SupjDose Trousers breaks his neck ? " 



*' Or more important still, the horse's back ? " 



" Oh, don't be so unfeeling. I'm not thinking about the 

 horse, but about " 



"That I.O.U. for a pony he gave you last night? Well, 

 yes, that is a consideration, isn't it ? Never mind, we'll hope 

 for the best. Hullo ! what was that "? " 



For a faint whimper, undecided at first, but quickly swelling 

 into something of more importance, had broken upon their 

 ears. Then, silence again ; once more the note is borne to 

 them on the soft bj'eeze, and now it is taken up by several of 

 the hounds. A noise as of crackling, breaking dead under- 

 wood, a "toot, toot" on Will's horn, and then a general 

 scramble to get through a small hand-gate, cigars thrown 

 away, hats pressed down on heads, and that suppressed smile 



