220 THE HAUGHTYSHIKE HUNT. 



composed of posts and rails, topped with gorse. This was 

 succeeded by a long field of pasture, sloping down hill all 

 the way to that abominable trap for the unwary, a ' regula- 

 tion ' ditch, a six-foot wide, clean cut, saw-pit looking grave, 

 with a foot high rail on the take-off side, backed by 

 an eighteen-inch thick, stiffly made up fence. From this 

 point it was again all down hill to the brook, a fairly good 

 sized running stream, with a low bushed-up fence in front of 

 it. Turning again sharply left-handed, after the brook was 

 crossed, the track led along the bottoms, always somewhat 

 deep and holding, across three other fences, all fairly easy, 

 and then commenced the journey for home. Half a mile 

 before the goal was reached, the sinuous windings of the brook 

 again necessitated a water- jump — this time without any fence 

 on the take-off side ; two artificial fences came next, and then 

 another of the ' regulation ' ditches. From this point there 

 was a steady climb, barred only by two gorsed-up fences, 

 before the winning-post was reached. Taken on the whole, 

 it was a fairly severe line of country, quite big enough to test 

 the jumping and galloping powers of the best hunter that ever 

 ran. The distance for the Duke's Cup was about three miles 

 and a half. And now, although the ' pencillers ' had not 

 mustered in any great numerical force, they managed to create 

 a stupendous amount of noise, just in the last few moments 

 before the start for the principal event. The ex-racehorse, 

 Sheldrake, was a strong favourite, in consequence, chiefly, of his 

 worthy owner's investments in the ring ; and at the finish, 

 nothing more than even money could be had about his chance, 

 and not always that. Marmion was next in demand, but the 

 healthy odds of five and six to one could always have been 



