187G— 77.] THE TWO URKAT RUNS OF THE SEASON. 181 



an hour later these were clustered on one side of Orton Park 

 Wood, whence this good run was to begin. 



Orton Park AVood, then, as it is more familiarly known- — or 



Overton AVood as it is written on the map (and you will -want 



your Ordnance sheet if you would appreciate the full measure 



of this chase) — is a s(iuare, well-timbered covert of perhaps 



thirty acres, with its four faces standing north, east, south, and 



west. The sound of " gone away," to the southward, soon set 



the whole of the swollen field in motion. A fox had left; but 



hounds would not leave another still in covert. Well-organised 



and quiet as it had hitherto been, the plialanx of horsemen 



now spread itself round the outside of the wood, galloping 



eagerly hither and thither as each fresh alarm was sounded on 



one side or another. A second fox left with his head pointing 



in the same direction, and so the bulk of the field were led to 



congregate about this jjoint. Meanwhile there were still a 



third and a fourth leading the hounds round the wood ; and 



the echoes rang continually, as first here, then there, they 



crossed the rides with the pack in pm-suit. From the central 



point in covert, where the two deep-rutted paths crossed each 



other, you might have viewed that white-tagged old fellow some 



three or four times as he strove in vain to break through the 



encircling chain of enemies. But now the pack have penned 



him in a corner, and he must either give up his brush, or trust 



it to the strength of his lissome limbs. They have stood him 



in good stead before, so with a bold heart he dashes out, the 



leading hounds clamouring close at him, and sets his mask 



fearlessly into the north wind. Now then, all you who are 



within reach or knowledge of his departure, there is little to 



guide 3'ou, if out of sight, save the suddenly receding sound of 



the pursuing pack. If you are in the wood with the huntsman 



and his whip, Colonel Gosling, Messrs. Westley Richards and 



Duncan, hustle down the muddy rides for dear life ! If, more 



fortunately still, you are on the north side with Lord Esme 



Gordon, Messrs. Creyke, Samuda, Featherstonhaugh, Sir 



Beaumont Di>de, Lord Manners, and some fifteen or twenty 



