A coper's confession. 91 



worthy all tliat could be said of liim ; and in the three- 

 mile ride to the meet I had some opportunity of proving 

 his more important accomplishments. I dropped my 

 hand, g-ave him his head, and away he walked with an 

 ease and confidence that quickly imparted itself to his 

 rider : then I jogged him into a trot that finished as sure 

 and as safe as a Welsh pony's ; while, last of all, I sent 

 him at three parts speed up a green bite by the road-side, 

 from which I confess I pulled him up in no little chagrin, 

 not to say dissatisfaction : he went so oily and well — 

 playing* with the plain snaffle in his mouth, arching his 

 neck, and bending to the hand in a manner truly 

 delio'htful. 



o 



^' Egad !" said I, ^- if Blue Peter (so they called him) 

 only turns out half as well as he promises, I'm fixed at 

 once ; for where the deuce shall I ever find a fault or a 

 reason to give the Squire for not buying him V^ 



But let me get to the cover-side — a large wood, 

 from eighty to a hundred and twenty acres in extent, with 

 plenty of good lying, and, from its situation in the heart 

 of an otherwise open country, worth its length in gold to 

 the man who hunted it. A fox, three or four indeed, 

 were soon a-foot, but, despite plenty of rattling about 

 from one side to another, not much inclined to break; 

 seeming to think that if there was any thing like the 

 sceijt out there was in cover, it could not be much use 

 their having a run for it. Not knowing a yard of my 

 ground, the cover being large and the wind strong, I 

 thought it advisable to keep as near as I could to the 

 pack, and for nearly two hours continued wriggling and 

 twisting up and down the awfully heavy rides, in, I am 

 sorry to say, a good deal of that slack rein, rough- 

 riderish, hard-hearted manner, which men will occasion- 



