A SCURRY FROM RRAUNSTON GORSE 327 



entertain feelings of affectionate regard ; so in view of 

 what might be before us I could not at the covertside resist 

 volunteering the caution, " For Heaven's sake, my dear 

 fellow, fasten that thing tight round your neck and legs. 

 If you get into the Braunston Brook (as you probably 

 will), you will be like a torpedo-boat with a hole in it, 

 and it will take three men to lift you out ! " Many a true 

 word is spoken in jest, and this is exactly what happened 

 soon after. 



We had been ten minutes in the storm above Braunston 

 Gorse before Goodall's cheer proclaimed a find, and warmed 

 our chilled and sinking hearts. Then there was a break 

 towards Daventry, and a light little fox was headed back 

 into the covert. The gorse, as I have told you many a 

 time before, looks about westward upon a basin of green, 

 that for hunting, scenting, and riding properties has few 

 equals. So this first baulk disconcerted us nothing. We 

 merely ranged round the whole upper edge, that no fox 

 could well break again in the undesired direction, the only 

 trouble being now whether, from a covert so invariably 

 weak of scent (in contradistinction to the high-scenting 

 grass outside), hounds could again force their fox, and 

 whether they had a fox at all willing to try for Shuck- 

 burgh. Wind was right enough, and the chances of the 

 game were still in our favour. Hoping to be of service in 

 viewing him over the narrow ride, I ventured to slip into 

 covert with the huntsman ; and for the next ten minutes or 

 so watched that keen functionary toiling round the privet 

 thicket, while scarcely a hound could throw tongue to a 

 scent. 



How we got away at last was a quiet and pretty piece 

 of management, deserving all that came after. John Isaac 

 viewed our fox — 1 should say a fox — steal down the gully- 

 side. Not only did did he " count twenty " twice over, but 

 then the signal came in a whispered scream, " Master ! " 

 with a wave of the arm towards the point of break. So 

 Will was able easily to get his whole pack together, to lay 

 them on the line without flurry ; and the whole field, 

 moving up quietly, were all within range when the dog- 

 hounds roared forth their first elad acclaim. 



