284 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



manhood's rash confidence ! Algy Turnor, where are you 

 — who used ever to lead us here, to glory, or engulfment 

 (often, too often, I am bound on our part to admit, to the 

 latter reward) ? Will it do ? Will it do, your lordship ? 

 Yes, if you go fast ! And the steel-marks told afterwards 

 how fast they did go, though, like their booted employers, 

 these held silent as to the distance they were carried 

 beyond the black gulf, before the vigour of pace could be 

 checked. A point of four miles and three quarters in 

 twenty-five minutes ! We call that good going in the 

 shires of England — good at least when reduced to the 

 unerring verdict of Ordnance map and ivory scale. 

 Beside Hose village hounds hovered a moment, then bore 

 rightward over canal and railway, rose up out of the Vale, 

 and bayed over the open earth of Harby Hills, fifty-three 

 minutes from the find. This, I take it, was as happy a 

 specimen of a true Leicestershire gallop as fell to the lot 

 of the Quorn the winter through. Who else was in the 

 run I dare not attempt with any accuracy, after this lapse 

 of time, to say. But if I mention Lady Curzon, the 

 Master, and Mr. Cecil Chaplin, I shall, at all events, be 

 on the right side ; while I have a vivid and pleasing 

 remembrance of the presence of Colonel Forester (the 

 oldest of the Meltonians), of Mr. Cochrane (nearly his 

 equal in age), and of Captains Boyce and O'Neal. 



CHAPTER XLII 



TYPICAL CUB-HUNTING 



Gauge the fascination of fox-hunting only by one's 

 sensations on being roused from bed at 4 A.M. — the 

 flavour scarce departed of the last cigar and the last good 

 story — there would, I warrant, be no more complaint of 

 the crowds, no longer any danger to be apprehended from 

 the over-popularity of our gloried pursuit. You would 

 gladly sell yourself very cheap — and your horses too — at 

 such time, and would contemplate without a qualm the 

 prospect of never seeing a hound again. If ever the game 



