The Sport of Our (^Ancestors 



The fox traversed the gorse back from side to side and 

 from corner to corner again and again. There were two 

 sides certainly at which he might break, but though he came 

 out more than once he could not be got to go away. 



* They '11 kill him now before he breaks/ said the elder 

 Botsey. 



' Brute ! ' exclaimed his brother. 



* They 're hot on him now,' said Hampton. At this time 

 the whole side of the hill was ringing with the music of the 

 hounds. 



' He was out then, but Dick turned him,' said Larry. 

 Dick was one of the whips. 



' Will you be so kind, Mr. Morton,' asked the Senator, 

 * as to tell me whether they 're hunting yet ? They 've been 

 at it for three hours and a half, and I should like to know 

 when they begin to amuse themselves.' 



Just as he had spoken there came from Dick a cry that 

 he was away. Tony, who had been down at the side of the 

 gorse, at once jumped into it, knowing the passage through. 

 Lord Ruff or d, who for the last five or six minutes had sat 

 perfectly still on his horse, started down the hill as though 

 he had been thrown from a catapult. There was a little 

 hand-gate through which it was expedient to pass, and in a 

 minute a score of men were jostling for the way, among 

 whom were the two Botsey s, our friend Runciman, and 

 Larry Twentyman, with Kate Masters on the pony close 

 beside him. Young Hampton jumped a very nasty fence by 

 the side of the wicket, and Lord Rufford followed him. A 

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