1871—72.] AFTP]R THE HAItBOEOUGH BALL. 53 



Both get over witliout a touch, and henceforth it is downhill 

 and lighter travelling. Turning sharp away from the railway, 

 they keep it on their right, by the Oxendon railway crossing, 

 exchanging signals as they pass with a man who had viewed 

 him down. *' How long has he gone ?" is the question from 

 one party. "Why, where's all the red 'uns?"the counter 

 query from the other. Then over two (the only) pieces of plough 

 by the side of the line, till they cross over into Kelmarsh 

 Spinney, after thirty-two minutes without one tardy moment 

 to mar it. Their fox had trotted in just before them, lay down 

 in the underwood, they got beyond him, and a ten minutes' 

 check ensued. Goddard, the second whip, was the first to 

 appear on the scene ; Capt. Clarke came next ; Mr. Langham 

 immediately afterwards ; the main body by degrees ; and 

 Roake set the ball rolling again as soon as he came up, by 

 carrymg the hounds beyond the covert, and hitting off the line 

 where their game had stolen out. Foot-people viewed him 

 again at once, and the field themselves saw him enter Sunder- 

 land Wood after his long circuit. In the wood the scent was. 

 feeble, and he was able to struggle out unseen, and gain Blue 

 Covert before they could lay hands upon him, though forced to 

 rest two or three times by the way, and start again in view. 

 Three or four fresh foxes in the covert took turn about to 

 divert the attention of the pack from their persecuted brother, 

 and, though after an hour's perseverance the pack were all 

 round him in a corner, and, scent or no scent, were bent upon 

 his destruction, the field grew impatient, and Roake was 

 ordered to take his hounds out upon the line of one who had 

 broken away. And thus did as stout and swift a fox as ever 

 trod turf escape his fate after a two hours' trial ; but, much as 

 he deserved his life, did not the hounds deserve their prey still 

 more ? 



