1872—73.] TWO (iOOD DAYS WITH THE ATHERSTOKE. 71 



them to their present work. Another moment or two and they 

 were rewarded by getting on to the sweet meadow grass ; and 

 away they sped at once with a vengeance. Have I made it 

 clear ? They had been going well for these twenty minutes, 

 never dawdling, but not racing. Well, for the next twenty, 

 they made as sharp and pretty a steeplechase of it as ever was 

 ridden over an unflagged course. The well-drained turf of the 

 little meadows rode springy as indiarubber, the fences came 

 every hundred yards — some of them to be taken where you 

 chose, but many with only a single weak point that it was hard 

 enough to find in the moment you had for seeking it. Were 

 3^our steed impetuous, you were raked into one fence when 

 you scarcely thought yourself over the previous. Was your 

 mount inchned to be " sticky," you had hardly recovered him 

 after his last scramble before you were called on to rouse him 

 for his next effort. " Hold hard ! this accursed wire again ! " 

 The only apparent outlet has an ominous post before it, while 

 the bottom hedge is undoubtedly wired. Mr. Muntz, however, 

 won't believe in it, and the old grey's good effort meets with a 

 check that might have stopped his jumping career for ever, 

 while horse and rider rattle over the wire with no worse injury 

 than the fright. There is a clear space at the corner, after aU, 

 and it is made available immediately the fallen pair are seen to 

 rise in safety. Over the next three or four little inclosures 

 instinct is the only guide in riding to catch the hounds, who are 

 glancing through the thick fences lilce rabbits. Gallop as you 

 like, though, and pop up and down as quickly as you can jump, 

 they get to the Bitteswell Brook some three hundred yards in 

 front of their earliest followers. It is all down-hill to it ; the 

 ridges slope firm and smooth to its banks, which are fringed 

 with just sufficient thorn to form a low screen. But the sodden 

 earth and the quick-recurring fences have acted perceptibly 

 already ; muscles are relaxing, chests are heaving with long- 

 drawn sobs, and the heads that have been carrying themselves 

 so proudly noAv hang lead-like on the bit. Pull him together 

 you must, though it needs an effort severe as a close run-in 



