STORM AND TEMPEST 217 



In the bog-grazing pastures of Willoughby hounds 

 lingered a moment (a curious catch in the scent, such as 

 hindered them more than once when apparently in fullest 

 drive), and, with watches telling twenty minutes, such men 

 as Captain Mackeson, Captain Lamb, Messrs. J. and C. 

 Adamthwaite, Murland, Graham, together with, I may be 

 permitted to add, Mrs. Byass, drew rein, while a little 

 multitude rode up from the right via the Bilton ford. 

 Some hard-driving couples caught the line forward almost 

 immediately, carried it to the canal bank, and the pack 

 took the towing-path to the Barby Bridge. Another 

 brief, charming ride ensued over what I may term the 

 Hilmorton Point-to-Point Course ; hounds ran their fox 

 into view in the road leading into Hilmorton village, and 

 fairly doubled him up in the brickyard, worrying him in 

 the deep pond or clayhole by the roadside. Forty-five 

 minutes from the find : a pretty hunt and a typical ride. 



As a feat of horsemanship I look back to nothing in 

 the day equal to Mr. John Adamthwaite's example at almost 

 the final fence — to wit, popping over a fair brook to land 

 on three feet width of bank, thence to clear four feet in 

 height of strong binders. Any man can follow, but it takes 

 a master hand to lead in a crisis of this kind. 



CHAPTER XXX 



STORM AND TEMPEST 



Wednesday, February 15, 1893. — Looking back on the 

 week, I am as one who has come through a storm at sea. 

 I can tell you there has been a storm, and that is all. 

 Blown about, beaten, and buffeted, consciousness had 

 remained, and even appreciation (for amusement was to 

 be found in the tempest, and sport in an occasional calm). 

 As a scribbler I plead for indulgence. Tell me, has there 

 been any evening during the week past when (accustomed 

 night by night to do duty to your daily paper) after hunting 

 you could, with comfort to yourself, tackle the overnight 

 debates ? You gave them up, you know, and you almost 



