54 SKETCHES LV THE HUNTIXG FIELD. 



there was no mistake about it this time, at any rate. At 

 the bottom of the descent from the station was a sign- 

 post with " Whorley Bridge " on it, and this was the spot 

 fixed for the meet. 



"I've got time, I suppose?" Chansett asked the 

 man. 



"Yes, sir; hounds meet at eleven and it's just about 

 four miles. You can't miss it, sir. There's sign-posts 

 all the way and the road's as nigh straight as may 

 be." 



It was about half-past ten when Chansett, with a last 

 glance at the arm of the sign-post, to make sure that 

 the affair was not dodging him and that it was all right, 

 put his horse to a trot and jogged off in the highest 

 spirits. He reached some cross roads, but the faithful 

 post was there and " Whorley Bridge" stood out in 

 newly painted letters. Now a sign-post is the best of 

 all possible guides, when you know where to look for 

 it ; but, though Chansett felt sure he had scrupulously 

 obeyed the directions of his dumb friends, he suddenly 

 found the road grow into a green lane, and following on 

 discovered that he was a solitary figure on some wide- 

 spreading Downs. This was a little confusing ; still he 

 had noticed the position of the sun, and by this guide 

 could continue something like the line of the road by 

 which he had come. 



He was just beginning to feel an uncomfortable sen- 

 sation in the nature of a doubt when about half a mile 

 away he caught sight of a man on horseback, bearing 



