156 HOUND AND HORN 



On the former, on the last day but one, during 

 a long gallop which took us to the heart of the 

 hill-country, I was completely out-paced, coming up 

 at the end to find a stout hill fox had been pulled 

 down half a mile short of a strong open earth, amid 

 the unrestrained yells of Tom Telfer and a score of 

 ardent followers of the over-the-Border hounds. 



And on the last day the Omega mare cut herself 

 in kicking back at a wall of sharp stones, this being 

 the only blood obtained, as Bill, with unnecessary 

 frequency and doubtful humour, kept reiterating to 

 me and to himself. 



This last day was featureless, a fox not being 

 found till late on in the day, and scent being faint 

 and catchy, till by a turn of good fortune old Regent 

 worked out a stale line which led up to a kennel 

 in a small patch of whins, close behind a lambing 

 shed, and pushed up a fat old dog fox, which was 

 killed after a short scurry. With a fine grey mask 

 and handsome brush, we found he was almost 

 toothless. 



This made up to the average number of foxes 

 killed in previous years, so the last day of all, 

 and the very last day of all which we had been 

 contemplating, were reluctantly abandoned, and the 

 entire energies of the staff were turned upon the 

 '' winding up " of the three 'chasers. 



Of course the jockeys had to be wound up also ; 

 and much strange and spasmodic training was entered 

 upon, more heroic and jerky than judicious and 

 methodical. 



The method of " Royal's " rider was, as he ex- 

 pressed it, to do a bit of fastin' and wastin', and 



