A DAY WITH THE DUKE 75 



Now No. 2 waiting his opportunity', '' Perhaps you 

 didn't hear that a fox went away, and it " 



'' Did he, my lud ? " 



Lastly No. 3, a schoolboy full of importance, bustled 

 up, '' I say, I don't suppose you heard " (our friend 

 was fairly tired of hearing by this time) '' that a fox, 

 a dog fox too, went away, &c. Oh yes, there's no 

 doubt about it, for Mr. A. saw him, and some others 

 saw him." 



'^ Did they, indeed, my lud ? Privileged persons ! " 



A bold rider himself, he was merciless to a shirker 

 or a funker. A high strong rail had stopped a bevy 

 of these one day, till one enterprising spirit charged 

 and broke the top rail. A confirmed funker asked, 

 " Who is the culprit ? " 



'^ What do you say ? " said the huntsman. 



^' Who is the malefactor ? " 



'* Surely you mean, who is the benefactor." 



One time, in a crowd of over-anxious horsemen, 

 who had headed a not very adventurous fox back, as 

 he turned his horse round, hemmed in for the moment, 

 he whispered to me, *' There's nothing more injurious 

 to fox-hunting than mad haste. Where is the sense 

 of pressing on when the fox is back ? " 



On these lines conversation flowed on till the small 

 hours. 



