146 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



galloped valiantly along, at a respectful distance behind the 

 last of the stragglers. 



Jack had, meanwhile, gone swinging across the meadow on 

 the cobby little horse bought from Fobbs, until coming to the 

 first obstacle, the post and rails. These he charged, in full 

 expectation that the horse would jump them all right, but 

 whatever Jack may have meant, his horse did not happen to 

 think the same way, and a short, sharp tussle ensued, until 

 the black, pursuing his usual tactics, turned his back to the 

 fence and deliberately commenced to kick at it. 



"Oh, d — n it, this'U never do! I shall lose hounds 

 altogether, if I waste any more time here ! " and he rammed 

 his spurs in — thereby producing another violent hoist of the 

 hind-quarters — and galloped off, up to the gate, through which 

 the main body of the field were now filing. Here he 

 encountered Binkie, and they passed into the next field 

 together. 



"You didn't get over those rails, then? " squeaked Binkie, 

 with a spice of ill-nature. 



" You didn't even try," retorted Jack savagely, and away he 

 went, elbows and legs, across the next field, glared at of all, as 

 he hustled past them to catch up to hounds. Availing him- 

 self of Eonald Dennison's lead, he rammed the little black 

 horse at the weakest part he could see in a thorn fence, only 

 to be met with still another refusal. Jack instantly turned his 

 head, and shoved him at it again, before the rest of the field, 

 with their : ' Now, sir, my turn, I think ; ' ' Oh, please pull out 

 of theway ! ' 'Do let someone else have a chance! ' etc., etc., etc., 

 could come up. Again the brute galloped up to it, and again 

 did he refuse and swerve sharply out to the left. Then, Mrs. 



