1876-77.] FROM STAPLEFORD. l79 



rigidly cared for as these two snuggeries are, foxes had for- 

 saken the low gorse for the better shelter of the woods. And 

 again, though there was a fox all the time in the Dalby Planta- 

 tions, hounds failed to find hini, and the lungs of the rustics 

 failed to bring them back when he showed himself. The ivied- 

 tree at Berry Gorse had no lodger to-day — though we had 

 shortly a fresh instance of the bird-like propensities of the 

 flying foxes of the Cottesmore. Laxton's Spinney was drawn 

 blank, and the gallant owner of Stapleford almost allowed us 

 to think the park was empty too, before he galloped up with 

 the news that a fox was in a fir tree hard by. For a week he 

 had known of and peeped at him occasionally, hoping he had 

 in store for us a burst as good as that of a fortnight ago from 

 this very spinney. Now he could see him still, curled up 

 thirty feet from the ground, where one fir tree leaned repos- 

 ingly against another. He had shouted at him a moment since ; 

 but the liead had still peered down from between a forked, 

 branch without a movement. "He Avon't come down; some- 

 body must climb after him!" Young Goddard was at once 

 equal to the occasion ; tied his horse up while Neal collected 

 the hounds at a little distance ; and set to work promptly, as 

 if accustomed to air the Lonsdale livery during the spring 

 months in the adventurous science of birdsnesting. Up rose 

 the red coat and hunting cap, higher mounted the breeches 

 and spurs, till tlie bright figure aloft looked like a gaily clad 

 doll on a Christmas tree. Now reynard's perch was reached, 

 and the expectant field below (doubly anxious after the disap- 

 pointments of the day) every instant thought to see him bund- 

 ling headlong down,, when the voice of the cherub aloft was 

 heard to cry, "Why, he's a dead 'un ! " 'Twas a picture to watch 

 the blank look stealing over one and all of the upturned hope- 

 ful countenances. For a moment mouths opened, but not to 

 speak, assuredly not to laugh. Then as they closed again a 

 sound, half a sigh, a quarter a whisper, and a quarter a groan, 

 fell from every pair of lips. Active annoyance and disappoint- 

 ment was most prominent on the face of the owner of the 



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