150 THE HIXTIXC; FIELD 



What a charming, self-deluding sort of allowance that is. As 

 if an\- man with the feelings of a sportsman within him, and 

 the feelings of anything like a horse below him, was ever 

 satisfied with such a snatch of pleasure as that. Nevertheless, 

 Peter used to try it. "I'll just see them find," he used to 

 say to himself, as he pulled out his great watch, and followed 

 the hounds into cover, observing as he went, " there's plenty 

 of time to ride to Wall House or Kirkland after." 



Hark to Joyful ! Hark! she's on the drag. " Have at him, 

 good bitch y \\7A\00s the Huntsman, and Peter's frame shakes 

 with emotion. Now they get together, and the old grove 

 echoes their cry a hundred-fold. Peter presses his hat firmly 

 on his brow, with a half sort of inkling that he may as well 

 see them away from the cover. Now they go full swing ! 

 Reynard has run the co\'er's utmost limits, and dare not break. 

 The hounds are yet "too near," as Beckford would saj-. The 

 music ceases ! The fox has slipped back, and the hounds 

 have overrun the scent. 



" T.'^LLYHO ! " halloos the second Whipper-in from the far 

 end of the cover, and " Tallyho " is hallooed, and re-echoed, 

 and repeated, till every living thing is alarmed. 



The Huntsman's horn goes tivaiig, tivang, twang, as he 

 gallops through bush and briar to the halloo. The hounds 

 strain their utmost powers to overtake him, and horses and 

 men are in a delightful state of e.xcitement. Peter Pigskin 

 forgets all about the barle\- for malting, and settling himself 

 as well in his saddle as shorts and continuations will allow, 

 crams and hustles away with the best. Peter was always a 

 man of first-class nerve, and first-class nerve makes a second- 

 class horse go uncommon!}- well. Moreover, a man who is 

 only going to take an instalment of a run — say five shillings 

 in the pound — always thinks he may as well have it as good 

 as he can get. Awaj- the)- go over the hill, now down the 

 vale, and right across Brackenburgh Meadows, pointing for 



