i62 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



to be harried out of my lair in the middle of 

 the day, and have to scuttle off all this distance 

 without the wretches trying to hunt me — me, of 

 all deer, with all my age and experience and 

 my great big horns. I must trot up the East 

 Water a bit, I suppose, and run a few doubles 

 and lie down in a good thicket, and then I 

 should hope it will be all right, and those 

 horrible hounds wiU go about their business!" 



So off he goes up the East Water combe, 

 as it does not seem good for his health to stay 

 in view of Sidney any longer, but as he passes 

 from the foot of Hollowcombe to Allercombe, 

 he hnds to his dismay that he is viewed again 

 by a whole crowd of foot people on the ferny 

 side of Cloutsham Ball. Hurrying on past 

 Allercombe, he glides along through the tall 

 trees in Sweetery. Meanwhile, Anthony has 

 regained the farm, and is in consultation with 

 the master, and in a few moments the welcome 

 order to take out the pack has been given, and 

 the held is crowding four abreast down the 

 steep roadway into Sweetery. A good many 

 old staghunters ride quickly, however, out to 

 the fields above the farm, for if the stag has 

 gone up Bagley Combe, he may be away to 

 the moor ere this, and it would never do to 

 start a forest run on a half beaten horse. There 

 is to be no such good luck as this, however, 

 for hounds soon fresh find him amongst the 



