28 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



to-morrow to the big wood, and see you replace the poor 

 animal in his burrow." 



In the hilarity of youthful spirits, this interference 

 had no further effect on our young sportsman than to 

 damp his ardour, for the moment, in a pursuit in which 

 he had just commenced with such success, and he walked 

 away with a somewhat sullen step, to communicate the sad 

 tidings to Jem Perren. " Bless me," said Jem ; " I wish 

 that parson was in the place he talks so much about in 

 church ; he'll be the ruin of you, Master Francis. I 

 heard my father say, the other day, that he scolded him 

 for shooting jays, although the gardener says they play 

 the deuce with the raspberries and cherries, and you know 

 my father wants the feathers for fly-fishing." "Ay," 

 resumed Frank; "but never mind, Jem; we go "to 

 Eton after mid-summer, and then we shall get rid of 

 his botheration, and shall be our own masters in the 

 holidays." 



Saturday arrived : and the family at the Grange came 

 to the Abbey to dinner, and, with them, the " lion " out 

 of Leicestershire, whose name was Somerby, from whose 

 conversation with his father Frank Raby anticipated a 

 great treat. Neither was it anything short of a treat to the 

 father himself, to contribute to the delight of his favourite 

 son, and, according to promise, he waited his coming to 

 dessert before the subject of hunting in Leicestershire 

 commenced. We will give it in detail. 



Mr. Raby. "Were I a fox-hunter, Mr. Somerby, I 

 should envy you who make Leicestershire your domicile." 



Mr. Somerby. " It is, without doubt, the county of all 

 others in which a man may get the most hunting." 



Mr. Baby. "And the best." 



Mr. Somerby. " That depends on circumstances. It is 

 a mistaken notion that a good country alone can make 

 good hounds, or that Leicestershire has that peculiar 

 privilege." 



Mr. Raby. " I always thought that Leicestershire was 

 a county in which hounds had less difficulty to encounter 

 than in any other ; and that with a good scent, you are 

 almost sure to have sport, even if you do not kill your 

 fox. By the term ' Leicestershire,' I mean the whole 

 extent of country within reach of Melton Mowbray. ;> 



Mr. Sonwrby. "You have been misinformed on these 

 subjects, Mr. Raby. It is true there are extensive tracts 



