A RECORD DAY 149 



a few yards, then his stern began to go till it 

 fairly lashed his ribs, and he proclaimed his find 

 with an electrifying roar. Never was a note of 

 music sweeter or more welcome, never did a hunts- 

 man tingle more, never did hounds respond quicker 

 as they dashed into the boiling stream. Immediately 

 half-a-dozen eager souls had plunged in, with the 

 water curling up to the saddle flaps, and were 

 struggling across the swollen river. Fortunately 

 the foothold was good, and all got across but one, 

 who got mid-way over, when his faint-hearted horse 

 turned and took him back, while right and left the 

 remainder galloped for the bridges. 



Hounds were taking the line steadily across the 

 furrows of a ploughed field, not making fast progress, 

 but all in it ; then wavering on the next field, an 

 old grass one, until half-way across, they ran on 

 at an improved pace. The next fence stopped two 

 of us, and the Irish mare blundered badly, and I 

 made the unpleasant discovery that she had had 

 enough. Tom Telfer appeared on a second horse, 

 which seemed as much distressed as his first one, 

 and pointed towards a gate at which stood a boy 

 waving hurriedly and holding a fresh horse. Who 

 should this turn out to be but Ben with my good 

 old friend '' Royal " — a friend indeed, cleverly arriving 

 at the most opportune moment. I blessed the boy 

 profusely, and scrambled up with a feeling of exulta- 

 tion as the gallant old horse stretched himself out 

 and flicked over a couple of fences as if they were 

 brush hurdles. Tom Telfer and another were scram- 

 bling through a rough hedge as the old fellow had it 

 faultlessly higher up. 



