144 HORSES AND HOUNDS. 



I think we shall see what he is made of before the day is over." 

 Over the canal we steered away, and soon came to a nasty 

 brook, with deep water and hollow banks. Four or five of us 

 came to this about the same time. There was no leisure to look 

 about for good places, the hounds being over and racing away 

 a couple of fields before us, so at it we went ; and a proper 

 scrambling and splashing ensued. ]\Iy horse's footing gave way 

 just as he was taking the leap, and I had to perform in and out 

 clever, which I fortunately accomplished, but only three of us 

 showed on the other side ; there was no time to render assistance 

 to those buffeting with the waters, as the hounds were now out 

 of sight. On, on they went over a si)lendid vale country, with 

 very stiff fencing, having it all to themselves, for catching them 

 was out of the question. After, however, about forty minutes' 

 hard running, we got up with the hounds in a large plantation, 

 with a piece of water in the middle, where our artful friend 

 had just tried another dodge to shake off his pursuers, by run- 

 ning first all round the lake, and then swimming right across it. 

 This feat seemed to confirm Jem's preconceived ideas of his 

 being something out of the common run of foxes, and my im- 

 pression is, if left to himself, he would rather have declined any 

 further dealings with Bobtail. "Come, Jem," I exclaimed, 

 " none of your old woman's fancies ; have at him again — Bell- 

 maid has hit him off; forward, my lads, forward, away." The 

 hounds joined like lightning together — one crash through the 

 plantation, and over the open — cheerily, ho ! steadily, cheeringly, 

 on we go ! Not an inch of the country did we now know ; the 

 field were scattered to the winds, and Jem and I had it all to 

 ourselves. Expecting a serious affair, we held steadily on with 

 the hounds, agreeing to help each other out of difficulties, Jem 

 keeping just a respectable distance behind me, with no dispo- 

 sition to play first fiddle to this queer-looking dancer ; and I felt 

 quite sure he would not desert me if I got into trouble. Another 

 twenty minutes or so (for we had no time to look at our 

 watches) and we came to a few small coverts, where, our fox 

 taking a turn or two, we had just time to breathe our horses, 

 and one or two hard riders came up as well. One, a stanch 

 friend to hounds, and a general favourite with all the neigh- 

 bouring packs, now became of great service to me from his 

 knowledge of the country we had run into. " Well, squire," he 

 exclaimed, " this bob-tailed son of a gun has led us a proper 

 dance, and I thought I should never get up with you again. 

 Where have you been?' "That is more than I cau tell you," I 

 replied ; " but had he gone straight on, instead of bearing away 

 to the right into these woods, the chances would have been 



