242 WHIP AND SPUR. 



finch" (a neglected hedge, out of which strong 

 thorny shoots of several years' growth have run 

 up ten or twelve feet above it). I had often 

 heard of bullfinches, and no hunting experience 

 could be complete without taking one. It was 

 some distance around by the gate, the pace was 

 strong, and the spiny fringe had just closed be- 

 hind Mr. Lant's red coat as he dropped into the 

 field beyond. " Follow my leader " is a game 

 that must be boldly played ; so, settling my hat 

 well down, holding my bridle-hand low, and cov- 

 ering my closed eyes with my right elbow, with 

 the whip-hand over the left shoulder, I put my 

 heart in my pocket and went at it, and through 

 it with a crash ! An ugly scratch on the fleshy 

 part of the right hand was the only damage done, 

 and I was one of the very few near the pack. 

 Dick and I were now up to anything ; we made 

 very light of a thick tall hedge that came next 

 in order, and we cleared it like a bird ; but we 

 landed in a pool of standing water, covering 

 deeply ploughed ground, the horse's forefeet 

 sinking so deeply that he could not get them 



