1871—72.] A EOUGH AND TUMBLE. 55 



and the rank and file of the column joined in on the road. It 

 always takes a convenient time to rout a fox out of the 

 Cossington thickets ; and he can seldom be made to budge till 

 he has given full opportunity for morning greetings and 

 Monda}^ news. When he did go to-day, there is little to tell 

 beyond that he chose the dirtj'^ side of the road instead of the 

 sweet grass, j)ut a feather in the cap and a happy dream into 

 the mind of a newly-arrived Meltonian — who enjoyed three 

 fields of plough to the exclusion of his less enterprising confreres 

 — soon tired of the ignoble mire, and crossed over the highway 

 into the Thrussington country. Here the}^ meandered slowly 

 about for half-an-hour, with a lack of scent and incident, save 

 and except the total dissipation of a treble oxer, to which the 

 very dulness of the proceedings impelled a gallant militaire ; 

 then gave up the search, and fell back upon Thrussington New 

 Covert. 



They were some minutes in finding, but not half a minute 

 in driving out their fox before them ; for the field had scarcely 

 a notion that there was game afoot ere the pack came dashing 

 out in noisy haste close at his brush. The ravine two fields 

 from the covert gave him a better start, and stopped the stream 

 of horsemen for a moment. Once over this, the line was 

 seized as vigorously as ever. Every man who has himted with 

 the Quorn knows the Thrussington and Hoby pastures, and 

 msLj be able to recall the delight of going fast over them ; 

 sound good turf, and sound strong fences, each enclosure like 

 the one before it, and each minute happier than the last as 

 hounds keep flying on. Mr. Simpkin, of Hoby, chanced to be 

 looking round his farm, when the same fortuitous accident that 

 invariably throws a sporting doctor's patients in the direction 

 of the hounds brought the hunt across him. There is no need 

 of his holding up his hat ; the hounds are flinging along the 

 line like racehorses, and clatter past him with a rush that 

 , makes the four -year-old as enthusiastic as the rider, who has 

 hunted for five-and-thirty years. No thought of youth or age 

 now ! The young one is sent along, with his hind legs under 



