HUNTING 213 



his good horse was reduced to a walk. He put 

 him into the hotel stables at Milton, requisitioned 

 a fly horse, and on this unwilling steed got to 

 his hounds, where they had pulled down their 

 beaten stag in a ditch, not more than a mile 

 from salt water. As for me, I carried on with 

 tail hounds to the southern verge of the Forest, 

 about two miles from where they killed the deer ; 

 but when these hounds lost the line, I turned 

 my tired horse homewards, hoping that my second 

 horse might yet turn up to my assistance. And 

 so it did, to the great credit of my old groom, 

 but, alas, not till I had turned for home some 

 ten minutes, and so missed him. I was glad to 

 get my horse a very good animal safe home, 

 and it was a long time before Mr. Thursby's gallant 

 thoroughbred came out again. 



In recent days I recall a fine run with a 

 fallow buck in April 1913. He was roused in 

 Loosehanger, outside the Forest on the north, but 

 quickly recrossed the Forest boundary, and the 

 pack were laid on. They ran fast and straight 

 over the Ashley hills, across by Broomy Lodge, 

 and on due south in a perfectly straight line. 

 In Roe Wood the hounds got among fresh deer, 

 but put themselves right all but two couple that 

 were beguiled by the hot new line. One check 

 ensued at Ridley Wood, where Mr. Thursby for 



