A COVERT SIDE. 91 



ning along the crest of the hill, and sloped gently 

 downAvard for the breadth of perhaps two hundred 

 yards, while it must have been at least a thousand in 

 length, Osbaldiston paused, and di'awing in his bridle, 

 s;U for a few moments perfectly quiescent in the mid- 

 dle of his hounds, while the field diverged a little in 

 all directions, according to their ideas of the chances 

 of a start. 



The hounds, all perfectly aware that the decisive 

 moment had arrived, stood gazing with full, eager 

 eyes, heads erect, and waving sterns, toward the de- 

 sired covert; but so perfectly were they disciplined to 

 obey, that not one stirred or attempted to move on, 

 nor did a single whimper denote their intense eager- 

 ness. In a moment, casting his eyes right and left to 

 the second and third whips, who instantly took their 

 cue, and rode off toward the two lower angles of the 

 gorse, Osbaldiston waved his hand forward with the 

 shrill cry — 



"Eleu! Eleu in ! Eleu! in, good lasses!" 

 And without one impatient cry, twenty abreast, 

 the beauties dashed at the ditch and fence, as if by a 

 single impulse and a single motion. It seemed to 

 Fairfax that the hedge crashed but once, as their lythe, 

 sleek, many-spotted bodies were seen for one instant 

 writhing upon the top as they struggled over it, and were 

 then lost among the dark green prickly foliage, if foliage 

 it can be called, of the dense furze. Without another 

 word, the Squire gave the rein to Clasher, and press- 

 ing his knees gently to his side, but giving him no 

 spur, the good horse made three easy strides in ad- 

 vance, cleared the bank and plashed hedge, as if it 

 had been nothing, and landed over the steep drop be- 

 yond, as steadily as a troop-horse performs some or- 

 dinary evolution. Jack Stevens and the other whip 

 followed, and with now and then a wo)-d of encourage- 

 meut, and now and then a gentle rate, that proceeded 



