254 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Seasox 



A second fox was found in Loddington Redditch; put every one 

 in a fluster for ten minutes, as he tlu-eaded the woods and then 

 headed for the open ; after which he popped underground close 

 to Tugby Village. Tilton Wood was the word next given ; 

 first horses were sent home, and most of those men having 

 only one out for the day tm'ned homewards too. 



But in Leicestershire all our best nms — if not all, at least 

 three out of four — are in the afternoon. Scent is generally 

 better, the field is fewer, and hounds seem to hunt with more 

 determination and power. It was a grand fox that left Tilton 

 Wood, and turned a gi'ey mask to stare at his persecutors ere 

 he reached the first hedge. He had not waited to be found ; 

 but he gained very little time by his readiness. Let me pass 

 over how he ran the valley, held to the woods till he broke past 

 Tugby Village, and skirted the gardens of Keythorpe. In 

 Keythorpe Park hounds really settled to run ; and it was by 

 the wire round Keythorpe Park that all the foremost riders 

 were pounded, while the pack dashed on to Vowes' Gorse. A 

 happy turn, just short of this, let pursuers up once more ; and 

 now came the cream of the run. Bearing towards Allexton, 

 they went at a glorious pace and over a splendid countr}' — a half- 

 circle that, crossing the new railway twice, took them over the 

 Allexton Brook, and widely parallel to it, back into Loddington 

 Redditch (fifty-five minutes from start). Through the wood they 

 held on at once, then towards Tilton till their fox bore south- 

 wards again across the valley, and reached the same drain, by 

 Tugby, where the second fox of the day had found shelter. 

 Aji hour and a quarter exactly was the run ; and a great good 

 run truly. Prominent in it were Lord Grey de Wilton, Captain 

 Middleton, Messrs. Pennington, Tailby, H. Lowther, W. 

 Chaplin, H. Flower, Logan, and Major Chaplin, with Neal and 

 Goddard. The horses'of Mr. Pennington and Mr. Flower were 

 apparently as fresh at the end of the run as at starting (though 

 most of the others were sorely beat) ; while I must not neglect 

 (though hurrying over my sketch) to add that one lady, Mrs. 

 Franklyn, rode to the end. 



