26 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



result ; and, at the end of thirty-two minutes, Dick had 

 her in his hand, as stiff as if she had been six years in a 

 museum. Another run followed, in which some fine 

 hunting was displayed ; and Mr. Raby and his friends 

 returned to the Abbey, well satisfied with their sport, 

 and with a good appetite for their dinner. 



During the interval between the two runs, which was 

 not a very short one for hares were not abundant in 

 those days Frank was seen in earnest conversation with 

 a well-mounted gentleman, a stranger to Mr. Raby and 

 his friends, who attracted everyone's notice by the masterly 

 manner in which he rode, and the attention he paid to 

 the hunting of this celebrated pack of harriers. " I have 

 hunted in all our best counties," said he to his friend, 

 and this in the hearing of our young sportsman, "and 

 chiefly in the crack county of all in Leicestershire ; but 

 I never saw more beautiful hunting than these hounds 

 have this day shown. I have not only admired them 

 when in difficulties, in which I must say they were ably 

 assisted by their huntsman, but the head they carried in 

 chase surprised me ; surely Mr. Raby must breed a great 

 number of hounds, to be able to top and tail them to their 

 present perfection ; for there does not appear to be half 

 an inch of difference in their height, not more than a 

 yard or two in speed. Then what beautifully formed 

 animals they are, and how light yet musical are their 

 tongues : in fact, how unlike the heavy, throaty, long- 

 eared, bow-wowing brutes that I have seen in other 

 countries. I really think that if I lived near them, 

 devoted as I have been all my life to foxhounds, and 

 prone to despise harriers, I should hunt with them at 

 least once a week." 



These were honeyed words to the ears of Frank Raby, 

 who repeated them with much delight to his father on 

 their road home ; and it was also in his power to inform 

 him where this lion, in his eyes, was domiciled, which 

 happened to be at the mansion of an intimate, but non- 

 hunting friend. "Ah ! " said Mr. Raby, on the last-named 

 circumstance being made known to him, " then we shall 

 see him at the Abbey on Saturday, if he remains so long 

 on his visit to Sir William, as the baronet and his party 

 dine with us on that day." " Oh ! papa," observed Frank, 

 " how glad I am to know that ! we shall hear all about 

 Leicestershire hunting, which is the best in all the world, 



