SPORT IN THE SHIRES 271 



fence of a famous covert in the Quorn, one of those 

 haunts of foxes which has been the starting-point for 

 runs for three generations of sportsmen, for I have 

 heard my grandfather talk of it when we children 

 used to beg for a tale of his hunting experiences which 

 he was as delighted to tell as we were to hear. There 

 was an inkstand made out of the hoof of the horse 

 that carried him so well, which was the text of the 

 story. His father before him had hunted over the 

 same classic ground and now we, in our day, are 

 taking our best pleasure there too. But to return. 

 If that fox had reasoned, as perhaps he did, he would 

 have thought himself secure, for the covert had been 

 drawn three weeks in succession and might therefore 

 have been safe. Many of the field reasoned that a 

 find was unlikely and lunched comfortably on the 

 up-wind side of the covert, to their undoing. The 

 false security of the fox perhaps and the absence of the 

 greater part of the field certainly made for a quick start. 

 He was on his legs and away in a moment, for there 

 was no time to linger. Hounds never paused or 

 wavered, but settled to run at once. Now is the 

 time when quickness may save a run. Catch hold of 

 the horse and drive him along, for at the pace the 

 hounds are going a stern chase would beat the best 

 horse living. It will only be by luck and judgment 

 that we can hope to see the finish ; every pause, 

 every turn must be used to help us. A fox that goes 

 away in such bold fashion in the springtime has 

 most likely a far-away point. And for full five miles 

 he runs almost straight. The horse enters into the 

 fun of it. With his ears forward, his neck and head 

 carried at a beautiful angle, he makes no mistake 

 till he hits on a bad take-off at the brook and barely 

 saves a fall. Sit still, sit back, and leave his head 



