A CHAPTER OK EXCUSES 317 



upper end, and arrived at Catesby House (half a mile per- 

 haps beyond Dane Hole) in time to see Goodall ascending 

 the hill with hounds in full cry, his run fox forward, a 

 fresh one back. (I picked up a book quite lately, to read 

 with much interest the reminiscences of Dean Hole. 

 Humour rather than pathos marked its contents; and this 

 1 can maintain, viz. that there was nothing in it half so 

 pathetic as the experiences detailed at many a dinner-table 

 this evening, under a very similar title.) 



Mr. Goodman, who lived here so long, and thus had 

 every right to precedence, was already with the huntsman, 

 as the chase turned up the steep green slope, and appeared 

 bound for Studborough Hill. Bending across, they 

 pierced one of the farm or parish boundary hedges that 

 render much of this district so difficult. Was not this the 

 very Irish-banked and English-timbered complication that 

 tied us all up, a year or two ago, as we came from 

 Braunston Gorse ? 



Well might your heart sink within you. Progress and 

 escape seemed out of the question, and would have been 

 but for the friendly bullock and his summer ravages. He 

 had horned away a corner rail ; and so by riding up within 

 the oxer for twenty yards it was possible to bore, as he had 

 done, through hedge and brook and over bank. Now 

 hounds were pattering merrily along the hillside, now they 

 swung toward the valley, and now there lay in front only 

 a wide green vista — the yellow brook shining below like a 

 distant streak of gold, and the far heights of Shuckburgh 

 closing the landscape in hazy vagueness. On perfect 

 riding ground for the next mile or so the pack drove on- 

 ward ; and it seemed as if it would be easy enough to hold 

 them for a fox's life, with the ground in its present firm 

 condition and horses that have been in continuous work 

 since August. But, instead of crossing the very practicable 

 brook as they neared it (and so making straight for Shuck- 

 burgh), hounds held on parallel to the stream, and with 

 their heads for Staverton brought their struggling pursuers 

 in contact with the burns and braes that feed and tend the 

 main brook. More than once have I seen hounds laugh 

 at horses over this very ground. You may get over, or 



