1881—82.] THE RIDERLESS RUN. 421 



— or to prompt tliat of others — to wade a swamp, and clamber 

 a strong fence, that only stout spnrs and a western education 

 could render feasible. This was the first day of an east wind ; 

 and to see our boldest friend come back with his horse under 

 the mudd}' water was in itself a chilh^ warning to be accepted 

 witli decisive promptitude. But a general craw 1-through was 

 achieved somehow; then did hounds settle, and so did a field 

 that was bent on rectifying the accident and mistakes of the 

 morning. On the way to Hoby it happened that this ready fox 

 was headed back to hounds ; and they thus gained a minute or 

 two on him as they bore down upon Asfordb}''. To creep a stream 

 and gallop a plough was all by the way, before he turned almost 

 back across the Shoby lordship, to cruise among the gi-een 

 fields of that parish and its undulating neighbour of Grimston 

 — grand ground to ride over, so long as a horse can breathe 

 and remember his duty to a top binder. Downs was riding an 

 evident flyer from the Newport Lodge stable ; Captain Boyce 

 was laughing at the wet ground on the old black Gamekeeper, 

 and ]Mr. Blacker was making the best of one of his earliest 

 English mounts. Which is better falling — timber or blackthorn 

 grower? Keasoning power points to the timber (no ditch). 

 Cowardice eyes the thorn binder (may break) ; and looks round 

 for a lead. Lead comes gallantly at the rail — refuses horribly. 

 Cowardice mounted on youth is close at his heels ; pulls round 

 at once ; sings his own dirge in best Anglo-Saxon ; and sets 

 his teeth, spurs, elbows, and undisciplined young one, at alter- 

 native binders. " Now you're down you shall remember the 

 occasion, my friend." Whack, crack, whipcord and welt. 

 This is discipline and higher education — and I have full libertj^ 

 for quoting the wholesome instance, also for conferring (or, to 

 be honest, adopting) the nom dc guerre of the teacher. The 

 young one gets up more willingly than he got down — and 

 would rather not do it again. " Cruelty to animals," indeed ! 

 Did they ever think of that when they pulled me across a 

 desk, because Latin grammar didn't happen to suit my bent of 

 mind? 



