A DAY WITH THE DUKE 67 



They came home in the evening in detachments. 

 Bobby was an easy first, bringing in his still panting 

 pony with one shoe, and bearing the incredible in- 

 telligence that he had stopped most of the field. 

 Whether he was more proud of this last accomplish- 

 ment or of losing three shoes it is not easy to decide. 

 The main body returning later confirmed the news. 

 The facts were, that a tall untrimmed hedge had 

 temporarily checked part of the field, who were 

 craning and looking for a weak outlet, and Lord 

 Charles' horse had shied off the formidable obstacle, 

 when Bobby spied a gap with a long tree or spar 

 fixed across it, about four feet six inches from 

 the ground, and crouching along the side of his 

 iij-hand hunter, had bolted underneath it at the 

 risk of being scraped off. It is only fair to say 

 that Lord Charles, following him, flew the uninviting 

 leap without a fault. 



Loud were the praises of the hounds, the hunts- 

 man, and the country by all gathered round the 

 tea-table, and the field's gallantry was specially 

 sung by Miss Florence. 



On the last point Billy was more silent than was 

 his wont. It transpired that during a very fast 

 scurry in the afternoon, Billy had not been as 

 much in evidence as usual. 



But to Master Bobby belonged the honours of the 

 day. He had ridden through the hounds, and was 

 chatting quite at his ease with the huntsman, when 

 the Duke rode up. Just before moving off, His 

 Grace had asked who the schoolboy was in the 

 cricket cap, and Bobby was duly presented. He 

 was eating his sandwiches at the moment, or rather 



