THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 149 



except two who refused, got safely over. Scent then improved, 

 and the pace quickened up correspondingly. The line now 

 led up the side of the steep Down, and although a few groans 

 were uttered when this was seen to be the case, there was no 

 help for it, and ' grinning and hugging ' they all commenced 

 the clamber. 



And with tired horses — for with the exception of the 

 Duke and the Huntsman, not one of those up at the check 

 had been able to secure a second horse — it was a terrible 

 climb indeed. Slipping one step back for every two forward, 

 they painfully laboured up the incline. Hounds were already 

 out of sight, and Will was now on the brow of the hill and 

 commencing to gallop again. A few gave up, but found 

 it harder work to get down the hill than it had been to 

 ascend it. The rest persevered doggedly on, and at length 

 reached the table-land on the summit. Three miles of sound 

 galloping ground then lay stretched out before them, a fitting 

 reward for the long, wearisome climb. Hounds could just be 

 seen racing along in the distance, with Will's scarlet coat 

 bobbing up and down, close in their wake ; whilst another, 

 that of Eonald Dennison, was visible a little to the right of 

 the pack. In the middle distance were the two Whips and 

 another man ; then came the Duke and Adela, now ridnig 

 together ; after them, the main body, reduced to less than 

 half-a-dozen by this time. 



For a quarter of an hour longer, hounds ran hard. One by 

 one of the field dropped out of the pursuit, horses or riders, 

 and in some cases both, being done to a turn. Tails were 

 shaking all round, ' bellows to mend ' with some, leg-weariness 

 with all. 



