''SEASONABLE WEATHERS 173 



spot he has just quitted, and announces her discovery 

 in the most unmistakable manner. Her companions 

 readily admit the justice of the information, and the 

 fox, hearing their references to his private affairs, does 

 not wait to resent the intrusion. Off he goes across 

 the open, and the hounds, running almost to view, 

 eagerly bound through the fence, followed by the field 

 in general, barring two or three, who go carelessly and 

 land on their heads or backs as the case may be, not 

 calculating on a ditch the other side of the jump; 

 and Muf&ngton sincerely regrets the want of moral 

 courage which led him out hunting instead of permit- 

 ting him to stay at home comfortably and safely with 

 Borders. 



Men who want to live to the end will do well to take 

 a pull at their horses ; for though there is sound wisdom 

 in poor JMajor Whyte-Melville's theory that a horse in 

 fighting for his head takes as much out of himself as if 

 allowed to go with tolerable freedom, the steeds this 

 morning are too much inclined to gallop. Which way ? 

 Towards those disagreeably dense woods to the left, 

 where a fox v/ith decent topographical knowledge 

 would have so excellent a chance of finding an open 

 earth, or away, bearing slightly to the right, across a 

 line of splendid country that we know so well ? A 

 moment of anxious doubt decides it, and the hounds 

 make a decided bend in the hoped-for direction. Over 

 the rails is an easy task, for a heavy man on a huge 

 horse placidly goes at and crashes through the top one ; 



