90 A COVERT SIDE. 



riding than makes up the difference between them- 

 selves and the welters. Ah, how do Goodricke ? 

 Ilolyoke, how are you ? Fine scenting morning, I 

 fancy. Let me name Colonel Fairfax, Sir Harry 

 Goodricke, Sir Francis Holyoke." 



And they all rode on together, chatting about any 

 thing rather than the business of the hour. Jardinier'a 

 absurd riding and heavy fall not being forgotten. 



" How like him," said Ilolyoke. " Well, if he get 

 here in time, I would not be his horse for something ; 

 whenever he gets a fall before we find he rides as if 

 he were possessed by the very fiend incarnate." 



" Tliis way," said Goodricke, turning his horse's 

 head abruptly to the right, as they entered the field 

 immediately adjoining the gorse-covert, while Osbal- 

 diston and the hounds, which were a hundred yards or 

 so ahead, diverged a little in the opposite direction. 



" This way. They'll cast them in at the south- 

 west corner, and draw this way." 



" All right," said Matuschevitz, nodding to him. 

 " We'll join you in five minutes ; but I fancy my 

 friend here would like to see them draw — we'll go 

 along with the hounds, Fairfax." 



"Very well," said Goodricke, laughing, "but you'll 

 have to make up for it by and bye, I can tell you ; 

 for he's sure to go away down wind this morning, the 

 more so that the wind and the hill are together." 



The hunting plenipotentiary nodded again, and rode 

 away after the Squire, while Fairfax observed that fall 

 nine-tenths of the sportsmen did the same, though a 

 few, and those the men who had been pointed out to 

 him as the best men, first loitered behind in groups, 

 and then sauntered slowly along in the direction taken 

 by Goodricke and his friends. 



At the extreme southern angle of the gorse-covert, 

 which was a long hanger, bounded on the upper side 

 by a ditch and plashed hedge, on the further side, run- 



