1880—81.] MASTER AS HUNTSMAN. 339 



back to Beeb}' be took refuge in a drain, was bolted, and soon 

 I'un into. 



Nor was tbe fun of tbe fair yet over. Barkby Hoit was close 

 at band — a goodly certainty. Wben tbe gorse, annexed to it, 

 was cut down in tbe autumn, two, if not tbree, strong eartbs 

 were brougbt to liglit in tbe tbickest part of tbe covert — ex- 

 plaining ami)ly wliy foxes were often so suddenly lost, or some- 

 times not found at all. Since tbis discovery tbe Holt lias been 

 quite its old self again. And tbis afternoon, besides at least a 

 brace of foxes, it lield a stinging scent. I never saw a fox 

 more closely rattled tban the one to wbicb tbe little ladies now 

 gave tbeir attention, 'i'wo or tbree times be made believe to 

 break, but reall}' never meant going till obliged. So tbe}' sent 

 bim round and round tbe wood for a quarter of an liour — 

 bristling over tbe rides close at bis brusb, driving bim botly 

 round tbe outskirts of tbe covert, till be was fairly terrified into 

 boldness, and dared tbe open in earnest. By tbis time, too, be 

 bad " done a lot of work " as tbe buntsmen say : and was 

 ratber handicapped for a trial of strength with bounds over a 

 coimtry. The same remark would apply equally to many of 

 tbe horses that had been plunging round and round tbe inner 

 depths of the Holt. The}' came out, like the fox, half draggled 

 and with much of the steel out of them. There was still, 

 though, any amount of " go " to be found in their riders ; for 

 which they were glad enough to find a vent in lancing over the 

 Beel)y fences. Many were trying to retrieve — or at any rate to 

 make amends for — the loss of the midday plum ; two or tbree 

 were riding elate, with the taste of tbe fruit still in their mouths ; 

 and, urged on by one exciting cause or tbe other, tlie pursuit of 

 hounds was carried on by the whole division with a zest as 

 marked as that of the bounds themselves after their fox. Past 

 Beeby to Scraptoft Hall they went a bee line — hovering only 

 for a second at the Ke3'liam Road. Five feet of solid timber 

 frowned defiance ; and the boldest turned aside for gate or gap. 

 No, not the boldest. There was one who appeared to have 

 come from some distant, hardriding land : and now found bim- 



z 2 



