THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 143 



Will, Mr. Yarboro, the two Whips, and the Duke were 

 nearest to hounds of the rest. They had been running now 

 for five-and-twenty minutes without the semblance of a check. 

 Less than fifty yards behind the leaders came about half-a- 

 dozen more, ^headed by Sir Tommy — amongst them Adela 

 and Lady Lucy. Mrs. Joggletilt's horse had held out 

 signals of distress as they crossed a holding piece of plough ; 

 Commander Clump was down, whilst several others, finding 

 the pace a bit too hot for them, had pulled up in despair, 

 or taken to the lanes and roads, hoping against hope for a 

 favourable ' nick.' 



" This is glorious,"' exclaimed the Duke to his nephew ; " it 

 makes one young again ! " 



" Oh, you are alwaj^s young. Uncle ! " answered the Parson, 

 laughing. "But we certainly have had a grand gallop, even 

 if it ended here." 



" Dennison's horse seems to be carrying him well to-day. 

 A new one, I understand? " 



"Yes. One of Eonny's cheap purchases. He always 

 manages to fight them along, though, somehow." 



" Ah, yes. A wonderful man on a horse, I think him. 

 Will you have this place first, GeoftVy, or shall I? " cried the 

 Duke, as they went down to a biggish, hairy-looking fence, 

 with apparently only one jumpable place in it for a hundred 

 j^ards on either side. 



" You go on ! " was the answer. And the Duke, taking his 

 horse firmly by the head, drove him at the place. He got 

 over safely, though with not much to spare, whilst the 

 Reverend's horse dropped a hind leg in the grip beyond, as he 

 landed. The pace, for the last two miles, had been severe, and 



