A HOME SEQUEL 215 



Will I be in time ? " He was in time. And, what is 

 more, he took his horse out of the cart, emptied one of 

 the sacks of its coal, tied it on in lieu of a saddle, rode 

 the whole run through, jumping everything as it came, 

 and sold his horse next day for sixty-five pounds ! 



But then in Ireland they never use what we call 

 " cart-horses." 



The following Tuesday's gallop with the North War- 

 wickshire must be written before I go to bed, else how 

 shall I, with a clear conscience, hunt with the Pytchley 

 to-morrow at Swinford ? 



Tuesday, you remember, was a sudden lapse from Feb- 

 ruary into June. The meet was Hilmorton ; and sport 

 belongs to the Rugby side this year. We began by riding 

 a fast few minutes from Hilmorton Gorse — an old, happy 

 hne across the Rugby Steeplechase Course. If my pen 

 were untrammelled by considerations private and personal, 

 what a tale I could unfold, even with such a matter-of- 

 fact, prosaic implement as mine ! Why, sir, I laughed 

 till I grew weary ; and laughed the more because I 

 laughed at some who, but a week ago, had their merry- 

 humoured laugh at me and my good company. The 

 Hilmorton Brook was below high- water mark to-day, 

 but it was swimming-deep, they tell me. " And, oh," 

 said he, " if you could but have seen the big fellow 

 swimming with only half his cap above water, you'd — 

 you'd have died." And the next moment he nearly did 

 die, fiicking over a stake-and-bound before his horse, 

 catching the latter as he landed after him, and pursuing 

 his career as fast as he could to escape the storm of chaff 

 flung in pursuit. A merry crew indeed this sunny morn- 

 ing. And what a long hunt it was about Clifton, and 

 Lilbourne, and Catthorpe, and Swinford nearly to Shawell 

 Wood ; very little scent, and much worthy perseverance 

 of huntsman and of hounds. Permit me one more sen- 

 tence in summary, embodying a day's career, a volume of 

 experience. Hot debate, heated argument upon a tropical 

 subject overnight, till the light went out upon West- 

 minster's clock-tower. A few hours' sleep, a two hours' 

 journey, an hour's hunting, a cooler in one's own brook, 



