344 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



brook across our path, and with it the old comedy of error 

 and disaster. " Bless you, sir, I had all but sold him, and 

 thought the cheque was in my pocket as I rode for the 

 brook ! " That cheque now lies a fathom deep in muddy 

 water, crossed " Not negotiable." " I'd been over sure 

 but for that young chap with the horse to sell," quoth he 

 with the horn. " But I didn't do so badly," he added 

 with a chuckle. " Jim Goodfellow's horse scrambled out, 

 and I scrambled on him. ' Bring on mine,' says I, and I 

 got to hounds in two fields. Rather ride at five foot of 

 timber any day than take chances at a brook ! " For 

 myself, I passed five long seconds of agony on the further 

 brink, while Messrs. Kewley, Murland, and Adamthwaite, 

 Captain Baird, Mr. Fabling, Mr. J. Darby, Miss Hanbury, 

 Miss Fenwick, &c., found Elysium in a clean, quiet 

 jump on the right ; and Mr. Jameson, with Lords Spencer 

 and Annaly, swept past the swimming and struggling nick'e 

 to the left. Under Staverton came a hot succession of 

 fences, then a hill to mount, and hounds a field ahead 

 towards Drayton. Mr. Gordon Cunard bored a hole from 

 the lane through its girding bullfinch in their wake, while 

 the bridle-road served the diminished multitude as the 

 pack swung yet more to the left. This continued turning 

 had played ha.voc with a fierce riding field ; and to arrive 

 late at the brook was a worse experience than even an 

 early plunge. "Twenty or thirty in it together," was one 

 report, while in each case the explanation was identical, 

 " The way was blocked, and my horse of course refused 

 or went in." 



A mile before regaining Braunston Gorse, a blown fox 

 was in view to such as Mr. Mills and his nearest comrades. 

 In twenty minutes hounds were back in covert ; and some 

 few minutes later, I regret to say, had gained blood. Of 

 blown horses and heated men was there ever such exhibit ? 



Tuesday, March 27. — "A Diary of a Summer Fox-hunter" 

 might perhaps be a better title for the current week. By 

 pleasant privilege I have followed various packs, and eked 

 out a sunny Eastertide. But though sunshine is incom- 

 patible with dulness, and good company is a boon beyond 

 compare, fox-hunting, I am bound to protest, serves its 



