THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. i8i 



running ahead down the ride, as hard as they could go, and 

 Travers was thinking to hiinself how much he would like 

 hunting if it were all like this, without any jumping, when with 

 a violence which knocked all the wind clean out of him, he 

 wrapped himself round the overhanging arm of a tree, to 

 which he wildly clung, as his steed galloped gaily away from 

 under him. 



" Oh, really ! " gasped poor Binkie. 



Luckily for him, our friend found that the rest of the field 

 had gone round the outside of the spinney, instead of following 

 him through the ride. He dropped gently to earth again, 

 and when his normal breathing powers were quite restored, 

 trudged off up the wood, to see if he could find any trace of his 

 errant horse. The old fellow had not gone more than two 

 hundred yards from where he had left his owner, before getting 

 one foreleg through the reins. This, as may well be imagined, 

 had considerably hampered his movements, and soon after- 

 wards he had contrived to hitch himself up in almost inextric- 

 able confusion to the lower branches of a tree, where Travers, 

 fortunately, found him, and after about a quarter of an 

 hour's work freed him from his entanglement. Our hero then 

 got on his back, and proceeded to essay the task of finding his 

 way home. It was rather a long business, and he did not cast up 

 at Catchem Court until some time past the usual luncheon hour. 



Lucretia came running out into the hall to meet him. 



" How splendidly he had led the whole field at that dreadful- 

 looking bank ! and how naughty it was of him, after promising 

 her — yes, promising her faithfully, that he w^ouldn't run any 

 risks ! She was afraid he was not to be trusted ! " and Binkie's 

 vacuous eye goggled at her as he put on a very knowing look, 



