114 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



enougli, thtre goes the horn at the Tarball end 

 of Whitburrow Wood. There goes a red coat 

 by Stoke Mill, so off we must go, too, for all 

 we are worth, up the track through the fields 

 to Lucott, then into the helds again at the 

 second gate above the farm and all down the 

 long sloping track to Blackford. There is the 

 acting-master just ahead, on his gallant grey, and 

 there are the hounds fiving up the meadows by 

 the water just below. Yonder though are more, 

 further ahead, going with sterns down, mute as 

 swallows, and as fast. Now through the tiny 

 Blackford courtyard, out round the steeply 

 sloping fields beyond, from gate to gate ; that's 

 Anthony opposite galloping along the sheep- 

 track, and about a score with him. Here's the 

 boundary fence against Babe Hill, with never a 

 gate and the ground as steep as the side of a 

 house ; now where is the weak place ? Up there 

 on the right by that furze bush. Out oyer we 

 go, with a plunge and a struggle, and now to 

 crawl gingerly round the shoulder of the hill, 

 for a slip and a roll here mean broken bones 

 and a good horse done for. Thank goodness ! 

 that's left behind ! Now where on earth have 

 hounds got to ? Oh, there they are, on the 

 right, nearly on top of Lucott Moor and going 

 as if possessed. Now let us trot up this long 

 ascent as well as we can, avoiding the spring- 

 heads, and once atop we'll see who can gallop 



