A CHECK. THE BATTLE CONTINUED 157 



his check may turn into a retreat without orders, a 

 sauve qui petit y in fact. 



But what to do ? Throw in a reinforcement and 

 so send the Hne forward at all risks, or let them 

 hold on where they are and detach a party to turn 

 the enemy's flank ? Swing round the fighting line 

 to meet the counter-attack, or let the reserve do it ? 

 Refuse the flank the Cavalry is on, and continue the 

 advance, or diverge towards them, and bring things 

 to a head ? etc., etc. 



Circumstances alone can decide. 



We cannot all of us Hunt Hounds, but we all of 

 us shall have command sooner or later, even though 

 it only consist of a company or two, and it will be 

 education for us to think, as we sit still at a check 

 in the Image, what we should do in the Huntsman's 

 place, if in command that is ; and then apply the 

 situation to an imaginary problem in the Real, in 

 the manner indicated above. 



Ah ! they have hit it off in the corner there, and 

 up go the heads and down go the sterns once more, 

 and away they go in the uncontrolled ecstacy of 

 pursuit. 



The check has let up the laggards and those who 

 did not get a start, the latter rather cross and deter- 

 mined to see the rest of it, if riding can make them 

 do so ; so if we mean to keep our places, we must 

 "tackle to work with a will." 



We shall have competition now, and must be 

 prepared to back our own opinion, that is, to take 

 our own line without hesitation. 



