50 SKETCHES IN THE HUNTING FIEID. 



effect of a gentle word and a friendly pat on the neck. 

 From the manner in which the two are getting on to- 

 gether to-day, there can be little doubt that they -have 

 arrived at that mutual understanding which, as before 

 said in the course of these sketches, is indispensable to 

 safe and pleasant journeys across country. 



Let us see how the hunt generally get over this fence 

 — a tolerably big flight of rails, with a ditch on the 

 landing side. 



Here they are ! Up comes Sir Henry in that sort of 

 rocking-horse canter which his animals generally affect, 

 and he gets over quietly. Tom Maizeley does not like 

 the look of it, and unaffectedly pulls up. Here is 

 Scatterly, on a pulling chestnut mare, which rushes at 

 the rails and smashes the top one to splinters, making 

 a way for a little batch of followers, among whom is 

 Kitty Trewson, who means to have it if possible ; but 

 Sultan is rather blown, and, dropping his hind-legs in 

 the ditch, looks like rolling over and giving Aliss Kitty 

 a nasty fall, luckily recovering just in time to avert the 

 catastrophe. Scratton, the dealer, on another young 

 one, gets over neatly, and his groom does the same with 

 little exertion. Checkley gallantly looks at the broken 

 rail, and boldly rides away. 



Here comes Wynnerly : rather too fast, and heading 

 for a place where the rail is high and heavy. The pace 

 is hardly of his choosing, and they come whizzing down 

 at a speed which must take them over or through. Over 

 it is, and rather too much so, for the big horse, over- 



