A SCIENTIFIC SPORTSMAN. 179 



"Following on inside the covert is different from 

 getting right before the hounds, and viewing the fox 

 away is not quite the same as heading him back," 

 Downing observes, with disgust. 



" He's been getting up his hunting out of a book and 

 has got hold of the wrong end of the stick," Flutterton 

 suggests as Tewters rides on, evidently pitying our 

 ignorance of the elements of sport. " I wonder whether 

 he can ride ?" 



The doubt was soon to be solved. From the other 

 side of the strip of covert the Whip viewed the fox 

 away, and the hounds made straight for a fair hunting 

 fence, hedge and ditch. Tewters was a little in front 

 of us, and to give him his due he had the courage of 

 his convictions. He went straight at the jump, his 

 horse rose, he rose still higher, left the saddle, was 

 jerked violently into the air, and turning almost a 

 complete somersault landed on his back ; while the 

 horse, which had jumped smoothly and without super- 

 fluous effort, galloped on ahead. The combination of 

 grip and balance had, for some unexplained cause, 

 proved unsuccessful. 



Tewters was not in the least hurt, but just a little 

 discomfited — more shaken, however, as regarded him- 

 self than his convictions. His horse was caught and 

 brought back to him, and he climbed into the saddle. 

 For some time he kept to gates with much discretion, 

 but on arriving near a tolerably wide brook proceeded 

 to put his theory again into practice, and went for it ; 



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