86 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



less jjlunge as a good ship in the monster swells off the 

 Cape, while others here allowed hounds to creep ahead beyond 

 recovery. A fifty-acre-piece of natm-al ii-rigation and two small 

 inclosures brought the hounds to a second road. Mr. Arthur 

 Coventry was quicker out of it than anj'body else, and for the 

 mile or so of descent to Ladywood held a clear lead — hang- 

 ing a new decoration on the family shield. Sir Fred. John- 

 stone is not often slipped away from, and was gliding over 

 the fences and still constant turf in close j)ursuit, with Capt. 

 Atkinson cquall}^ handy. Jack West was scurrying along next, 

 his horse dwelling a little too long at his jumps to put him 

 quite on a par with the trio in front. As the}' skirted Lady- 

 wood, Sir Frederick went on in front (Capt. Atkinson getting 

 into an impenetrable bullfinch), and up to Owston Wood was 

 nearest to the leading hounds, still a hundred yards ahead. 

 Mr. Finch came up in the last field, and close behind were Mr. 

 Barnard, Lord Wilton (in spite of his recent illness), and Col. 

 Burnaby — the jiace having told terrible tales on the bulk of the 

 remainder. 



What might have been the exact time of tliis typical bm'st I 

 am unable to say. It lasted for something between twenty and 

 thirfj^ minutes — nearer the latter than the former. The huriy of 

 the start precluded the noting of its commencement, and the 

 excitement of j)arficipation (actual or attempted) prevented 

 thought of any stolid assessment. Could Moore have drawn 

 his argument from a memor}' of tliis kind, think you, when he 



wrote * 



Ne'er ask tlie hour ; what is it to us 



How Time deals out his treasures ? 

 The golden moments lent us thus 



Are not his coin, but Pleasure's. 

 If counting them o'er could add to their blisses, 



I'd number each glorious second ; 

 But moments of joy are, like Lesbia's kisses, 



Too quick and too sweet to be reckon'd. 



But to retui'n to material fact. It seemed a hundi'ed to one 

 on the hounds killing theii* fox, as they plunged into the wood, 

 chivied him in view up a ride, and candied their bloodthirsty 



