38 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



turned again into the road scarcel}' a minute behind their fox, 

 and took his line along it, right into the garden of Somerb}' 

 House. Through this he was yelled at by foot-people and 

 yapped at by a shepherd's dog ; but, instead of proving his 

 destruction, it brought him safety for a time, for the hounds 

 got tlieir heads up, and he was able to slip away along the 

 gulley towards Piekwell. Slowly they hunted on over the 

 high gi-ound to the left, rounded the frowning brow of Bur- 

 rough Hill, and tracked their beaten fox up one hedgerow 

 and down another on to the Melton Steeplechase course — 

 where they came to their first check at the end of an hour and 

 twenty minutes from first finding ! Of a holloa back and a 

 holloa forward the wrong one was chosen ; the hounds were 

 lifted a couple of fields on to a fresh fox, and followed him 

 slowly into the Quorn countr}' as far as Thorpe Trussels. 

 Meanwhile, the hunted fox was viewed back towards the 

 Punchbowl, there to await a fate tliat he had apparently and 

 deservedly escai)ed. The Punchbowl being the only covert 

 within reach for an afternoon draw, the hounds were brought 

 on tliere for a second fox, and found our gallant friend just 

 stifi"ening in fancied repose after his struggles of the morning. 

 But he liad some good stout stuff in him still, and a heart that 

 knew no sinking. Even now he disdained to die in covert like 

 a fiitted Frenchman, but set his head once more for his wood- 

 land fastnesses, and battled bravely to cross the open ground 

 and reach them. For some fort}^ minutes over the open he had 

 laughed at a burning scent and a racing jDace in the morning, 

 and, leg weary and sore in the evening, he could 3'et bid them 

 fifteen minutes' defiance. Straight as an arrovr he took them 

 to Owston village, the part}' in his rear being the whole elite 

 of the morning, and even they having all tlieir work cut out to 

 live the pace. One field on the right of Owston village, and 

 within half a mile of his shelter, strength suddenly failed him. 

 He stopped short, and the hounds were half a field over him in 

 their eagerness ; but his time was come, and a few minutes 

 more saw this grand, good fox pulled down stiff and helpless 



