1870- -71.] A SPURT FROM SCRAPTOFT. 17 



At a steeplechase pace they flew over the grazing grounds 

 towards Carver's Spinney, and men settled in their saddles 

 and thought themselves in the run of the season ; but — and 

 here comes the detestable hut — the Quorn seem now to be 

 suffering from a pluralit}'' of foxes, for a brace were ahead ; the 

 hounds were baffled for a moment ; Mr. Carver (who was on 

 foot on his ground, and is far too good a sportsman to allow 

 any consideration of wheat or seeds to mar a run) had 

 viewed one towards the Foxholes ; and a division of opinion 

 among the pack ensued, Avhich spoilt the best thing of the 

 year. 



As it was, this thirteen or fourteen minutes' burst could not 

 be beaten for pace and countr3\ The hounds never hesitated 

 a moment, and the most determined malefactor could not have 

 overridden them. Little time was lost ; but without the happy 

 vigom* of the first part they ran slowly round towards Hough- 

 ton, entered Mr. Tailby's beautiful country on that side, 

 crossed the Billesdon Brook at a part where no difficulty but 

 a great deal of splashing accompanied the transit, filled the 

 apron of the old ladj'- at the tollbar with coppers, and her 

 heart with gratitude (to judge by the sharp yelps of " Thank 

 j'ou, sir ; thank you, sir," that rained from her toothless 

 mouth), and so round into the Coplow. 



The field generally now appeared to make up their minds 

 for a cessation of hostilities, and attention devoted to lunch or 

 changing horses was the cause of many being left in the lurch. 

 Three foxes broke immediately and almost simultaneously in 

 different directions. One made for Quenby, and was allowed 

 to pursue his way in peace ; while a second stole away from 

 Botany Bay with only half the pack at his heels, followed b}' 

 the huntsman and three of the fie'ld ; and ran a merry spin 

 towards Scraptoft as far as Old Ingarsby, and thence round by 

 Hungerton Foxholes and Quenby Hall back to the Coplow — at 

 a pace quite fast enough to take all the steel out of their 

 horses. A third slipped away in like manner below Mr. Freer's 

 house (the persistent music must have been a strange aggra- 



