HORSES AND HOUNDS. 193 



round the covert, away we went over the open, Mr. Slowman 

 blowing his horn furiously, and dashing forward on his favourite 

 steed, with a triumphant look at me, as much as to say, " That's 

 the way to do business !" My friend, riding up, was also in 

 high glee. " What do you think of this?" " All right," I said, 

 " as to Act No. 1 — quite perfection." " Well, I am glad you 

 think so." 



The pace was good for the first twenty minutes ; the hounds 

 ran well together, and seemed bent on mischief, when we came to 

 a small covert, in which was a fresh fox. Here we changed, but 

 their whipper-in not being quite quick enough to the further 

 point, where he ought to have been, could not tell what had 

 happened ; had he been at his post, he would have seen the 

 hunted fox going away. In this small place we jolted about for 

 a few minutes, and then back again to nearly the same coverts 

 we had first found in. We did not hang here long, but went 

 away once more over the open to some large woodlands. Several 

 foxes were now on foot, and Mr. Slowman had plenty of work 

 cut out for himself and assistants. Jim took care to be always 

 near me, as I had told him in the morning we would, if we 

 could see an opportunity, take the game out of Mr. Slowman's 

 hands, and help the hounds to a fox, somehow or other, when 

 he had tried his hand long enough. We kept badgering about 

 this big wood for nearly two hours. The hounds beginning to 

 flag, Mr. Slowman's confidence was nearly oozing out, and his 

 voice becoming exceedingly croaky and ominous of what was to 

 happen ; the horn put into requisition pretty often to keep the 

 hounds together, but there was no energy in the huntsman, and 

 no activity in his men ; they all api)eared thinking more of their 

 dinner than the fox, 



A good pack of hounds, out of blood, will and may do all the 

 first part of their business, to outward appearances, perfectly. 

 They may draw well and steadily, find their fox handsomely, 

 and run him for some time sharply ; but a keen observer will 

 soon detect a w^ant of ardour and resolution, which gradually 

 increases, until their hunting amounts almost to indifierence. 

 Such was the case now ; they were beaten in spirits. Mr. Slow- 

 man passed me occasionally, and the last time I remarked, 

 " Your hounds are nearly beaten." " Beaten, sir ; no, not that ; 

 they will run till midnight, but the scent is getting very bad." 

 My host presented a very elongated visage, saying, "This is 

 always the way ; we shall be here till dark." " Not I for one," I 

 exclaimed ; " for if you don't let me and Jim knock over one of 

 these dodging brutes of Ibxes, and Mr. Slowman too, into the 

 bargain, if he comes in our way, I shall go home in half an 



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