48 WABWICK WOODLANDS. 



but, picked up quickly by the delicate and steady finger 

 of his rider, the good horse found some slight projection 

 of the bank, whereby to make a second spring. After a 

 heavy flounder, however, which must have dismounted any 

 less perfect horseman, he recovered himself well, and be- 

 fore many minutes was again abreast of me. 



Thus far the course of the hunted fox had lain directly 

 homeward, down the valley; but now the turnpike road 

 making a sudden turn crossed his line at right angles, 

 while another narrower road coming in at a tangent, went 

 off to the south-westward in the direction of the bold 

 projection, which I had learned to recognise as Rocky 

 Hill; over the high fence into the road; well performed, 

 gallant horses! And now they check for a moment, 

 puzzling about on the dry sandy turnpike. 



"Dangerous feathers on it now! Speak to it! speak to 

 it, good hound!" 



How beautiful that flourish of the stern with which he 

 darts away on the recovered scent; with what a yell they 

 open it once again ! Harry was right, he makes for Rocky 

 Hill, but up this plaguey lane, where the scent lies but 

 faintly. Now! now! the road turns off again far west- 

 ward of his point ! He may, by Jove ! and he has left it ! 



"Have at him then, lads ; he is ours !" 



And lo ! the pace increases. Ha ! what a sudden turn, 

 and in the middle too of a clear pasture. 



"Has he been headed, Harry?" 



"No, no; his strength is failing." 



And see ! he makes his point again toward the hill ; it is 

 within a quarter of a mile, and if he gain it we can do 

 nothing with him, for it is full of earths. But he will 

 never reach it. See ! he turns once again ; how exquisitely 

 well those bitches run it; three times he has doubled, 

 now almost as short as a hare, and they, running breast- 

 high, have turned with him each time, not over-running it 

 a yard. 



See how the sheep have drawn together into phalanx 

 yonder, in that bare pasture to the eastward; he has 

 crossed that field for a thousand ! Yes, I am right. See ! 

 they turn once again. What a delicious rally! An out- 

 spread towel would cover those four leading hounds — now 

 Dauntless has it; has it by half a neck. 



