212 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



still more palatable had not so many foxes been ever 

 occupying attention. Thus, hounds were splitting into 

 sections the day through. The most amusing illustration 

 was found in the final episode, when, after an hour or so 

 of varied hunting, the pack again divided as they left 

 Staverton Wood, and left — so it was stoutly sworn — a 

 beaten fox. One division ran hard, a half-circle to Badby 

 Wood, and after fifteen minutes were whipped off from 

 what was also sworn stoutly " a beaten fox." The other 

 division ran just as hard for eighteen minutes, their fox 

 getting to ground in a drain, also '' tired to death." The 

 phrase was made to apply to this one, for they had him 

 out and ate him. And for the rest of the day the gallopers 

 of the two divisions were in hot argument as to which had 

 had the better fun. I think I heard more good-humoured 

 untruths asserted than ever before in a day's hunt. I can 

 answer for it that our division at all events " lied " with 

 most conscientious unanimity. 



Tuesday with the North Warw^ickshire at Dunchurch 

 was another lovely hunting day. All the world went there, 

 most of them arrayed in their best : some of us, fortunately, 

 less ambitiously attired. For the yellow water made no 

 distinction between new clothes and old, between gilded 

 youth and rusted age. It was ready for them all, and 

 swallowed with a greedy appetite as many as would come 

 into its embrace. I allude to the Hilmorton Brook, to- 

 day level with the meadows and rotten as to its banks. 

 Alas, I first made friends with the muddy stream when 

 about eleven years old. Since then I may safely say that 

 I have renewed acquaintance with its familiar depths quite 

 once a year on an average. But never in better company 

 than to-day. It seemed to me that half the riding-men of 

 the Hunt went in or down. No, I shan't tell you who. I 

 am at liberty to hold myself up to ridicule when I choose 

 — not these others, though they looked a very comical 

 crew indeed, especially till several of the party had ridden 

 back to Rugby, to reappear in dry clothes. Some of 

 them even accepted two duckings— the huntsman cer- 

 tainly took two falls in leading us. Some two or three 

 men, again, got clear over the first time, though per- 



