392 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



the field separating right and left to await the issue. A 

 brace of foxes again divided affairs. Master and hunts- 

 man were on the left, or Fawsley, side ; and towards them 

 broke several couples of hounds. At the same moment 

 several other couples broke eastward, or right-handed. 

 The fox of these latter was headed by the Everdon 

 populace ; and the next scene was almost unique, viz. 

 hounds (the leftward lot) running hard on one side of the 

 brook towards Fawsley, a grand fox racing them, "at a 

 hundred yards' distance, on the further bank of the stream. 

 Determined not to be baulked of his share in the chase, 

 and evidently having the legs of hounds, this Reynard pro- 

 ceeded to cross their front. The leading hounds caught a 

 view. So did the huntsman, and cheered his remainder 

 to the head. Thus began a racing gallop across southern 

 Fawsley — by Church Wood, Preston Capes, Ganderton 

 Wood, and Canons Ashby — some thirty-five minutes, all 

 grass, no " lep." (You couldn't do that in Tipperary ! 

 Nor would you, you will respond, if you could. Never 

 mind, you do not know the blessing of gates. And, if 

 here and there you go through the form of setting up 

 gateways, why, it is but a " shtick " of thick timber you set 

 across the opening — isn't it now ?) By gateway then, and 

 galloping, the little crew of a dozen or so made their way 

 to the confines of Canons Ashby, and were not distressed 

 that a check should here occur, I'faith they would have 

 been much more distressed if it had not. The chase now 

 went on steadily to Eydon. Let me look at my map' — Eydon 

 being in Bicestershire. Extreme point, six miles. Our 

 fox was seen to enter the gorse, and the earths of course 

 were open. Conclusion natural. 



A few minutes afterwards there came up a much 

 hotter body of pursuers than those already on the spot, 

 the latter having assumed the various orthodox attitudes 

 in vogue on such occasions (you know them, without 

 description from me — coats unbuttoned, girths loosened, 

 tongues ditto ; flask, alas, on second horses in the far 

 distance). The new arrivals were by no means out of 

 countenance. Nine couple came out on their side of the 

 osier-bed, they swore. And they had had plenty of fun 



