THE MOENIXa OF THE HrXT. 203 



Ben K , the owner of most of the hounds, was 



not a man likely to oversleep himself, or forget any 

 business he might have on hand, especially when that 

 business was hunting. None were therefore surprised, 

 though one or two felt rather surlv, when five or six 

 blasts upon Ben's horn set all the hounds howling, and 

 roused us all most effectually from the land of dreams. 



' There is no time to lose,' said Ben, as soon as we 

 were wide awake. * The sun '11 he up a'most before 

 we are ready mounted ; so saddle up, and get your 

 shootino'-irons in trim. You can eat a bite of biscuit 

 as we ride along, and I needn't say you can take a nip 

 of whisky as well in the saddle as on foot, for I know 

 there is not one in this crowd that couldn't drink if 

 he was set on his head, or leastways tr}^' 



Urged thus to hurry ourselves, we were not long in 

 getting ready for the business and sport which had cost 

 us so much toil the day before ; for, to compel your- 

 self to crawl along like a snail, w"hen you have the 

 means to finish your journey in a quicker manner, is 

 one of the most tiresome of annoyances to a hunter, 

 especially with a broiling sun overhead ; and the day 

 before I had envied some of the hounds, who had been 

 able to travel under the shadow of the wao-o-on. 



To look at the hounds on this morning, however, 

 there were no signs remaining of their tired appearance, 

 for they capered around our horses, evidently eager for 

 the fun. 



