74 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



breath of relief as he reflected that the farmer 

 would not be on his doorstep next morning. 



But the leading hounds were at fault, they 

 swung at right angles, they poured through the 

 one patch of land which they should have avoided 

 with a zealous field pounding after them. The 

 rotten peaty bank spurted up earth under quick 

 changes and slow. Holes appeared which the more 

 careful people followed each other through. The 

 loose stone wall at the far end of the field rolled 

 down with clink and crash. Everyone went 

 through that forbidden field. 



The Field Master and keeper of the country 

 rode home gloomily, wondering what he could 

 say in the morning. Merely riding across fields 

 does not constitute a legitimate claim for damages. 

 When the postman rang the bell next day there 

 was a groan of Conolly, but no Conolly appeared. 

 Not that day or the next and then a puzzled man 

 rode up to the little' farm wondering what ven- 

 geance could be brewing. 



He found a man patching his bank with sods 

 and bushes. 



" Sorry to see — er a few places," began the 

 keeper of the country nervously. 



A face was raised slowly, a face with twinkling 

 eyes and a mouth set with grim humour. 



" The fair price of me yer honor," said a philo- 

 sophical voice. **I couldn't lave it to the fox's 

 scent, but interfarin I musth be. Wasn't I deter- 



