302 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Seasox 



not our hero, the leader of other dauntless Three, who bears 

 the honoured name so bravely, at least have his corn bill paid 

 for him and be given a statue in Melton market-place ? Sub- 

 scriptions will be received by Brooksbj'. 



SNATCHED FROM THE FROST. 



Monday, December 22, was the best day's sport the Quorn 

 have had to date. After fifty minutes' quick hunting in the 

 morning, they killed their fox handsomely in the open ; while the 

 afternoon was enriched with a screaming twenty minutes — to 

 ground. All Sunday it had been freezing hard, till in the 

 evening the wind swung round to the south-west, a misty rain 

 came on, and the ground softened as if by magic. " A most 

 unexpected pleasure " was it to Avake to hunting this morning. 

 And, taken thus by surprise, we arrived at the meet with scarcel}^ 

 customary punctuality. Hounds moved off well within the 

 expected half-hour of law ; and had not our friends the foot- 

 folk delayed Keynard's start for a few minutes, most of us 

 nnght have under-estimated that morning run. As it was, all 

 but the rcrij late arrivals took their turn at the first two fences, 

 found that their horses could make use of their feet, and so 

 thouf^ht no more about frost for the rest of the day. Jn a new 

 fir plantation, on the hillside south of Old Dalby, there were 

 a brace of foxes — active they must both have been, or they 

 would have been chopped in covert ; hold, one proved himself 

 to be. Breaking through the encircling mob (for there were a 

 hundred on foot to fifty on horseback), he led us down steep 

 inclines and up rough ascents, along the edge of the Vale, till 

 he topped the crest of Wartnaby Stonepits, and headed for 

 the Saxelby grass. Often baffled in his course, he worked on 

 to Wartnaby and Kettleby — the pace excellent so far (perhaps 

 a quarter hour), and the field, bothered by the rugged nature 

 of ground and obstacle, having all their work cut out to keep 



