GUY FAWKES' DAY 23 



and the coverts of foxes ! What more would you have ?). 

 From Dodford Holt to Everdon Stubbs is a very bright 

 seventeen minutes — may be done in fifteen if scent serves 

 and you haven't given the Everdon brook credit for a 

 sound bottom. Ah, there's something familiar in the 

 fierce flurry which it is our wont to adopt in this subor- 

 dinate island when we perceive six feet of water crossing 

 our path. But this is not a fitting introduction to a little 

 incident that I consider not only illustrative of our clime 

 and rate of riding at a brook but of the manner of woman- 

 kind holding its own over here. " Only a hack," she had 

 already explained. " Is yours good at water ? " as she 

 made running down the field approaching the brook. 

 '' The worst in England," responded he promptly, rather 

 than accept the proffered honour of place. Without 

 further word or ado, she took the " hack " tight by the 

 head, dropped half-a-dozen resounding stripes upon his 

 off-shoulder, and before he knew where he was, the 

 " hack " found himself a yard or two over the brook, 

 the last speaker coming meekly but not ungratefully after. 

 A weak scent upon the falling leaves allowed a beaten fox 

 to crawl about altogether in safety in Everdon Stubbs. 

 A good day's sport. 



The Warwickshire Gallop from Shuckburgh 



Bear with me while I cram upon paper as fast as I 

 can the great gallop of the Warwickshire from Shuckburgh. 

 Shuckburgh has often been my theme, and I have even 

 been accused of ranking Shuckburgh too high. I put it 

 higher than ever this afternoon. I was very sanguine as 

 I rode to covert — a still, cold, and dull morning — the glass 

 steady and the whole wide landscape clear and blue. 

 And there they all were at the meet in the newest and 

 brightest of pinks — and I alone, from shameful ignorance, 

 in cub-hunting kit. 



The most perfect hunting weather avails nothing 

 without a good fox. Him we found, as I shall tell. The 

 Pytchley, you remember, had run to Shuckburgh Hill 

 only on Friday last. No matter, he was there — and fully 



