AFTEE THE CUBS. 23 



A hare bounds from the hedge and crosses 

 the road just in front of ns ; dim forms are dis- 

 tinctly made ont in one field as we trot onwards, 

 but otherwise the country is still and silent until 

 we turn off to the right and find ourselves ap- 

 proaching the pond, some twenty acres of water, 

 on the surface of which a few water-lihes and a 

 good deal of mist are discernible, the little boat- 

 ing or summer-house being faintly reflected on 



the dark surface. 



A couple of men on foot and a groom mounted 

 on a grand grey horse are the only Hving objects 

 besides ourselves, but an inquiry assures us that 

 ''they 11 be here directly;" and the words are 

 hardly spoken when dowu the road on the other 

 side of the pond we see the pink coats of the 

 hurtsman and whips, with the hounds around 

 .em— a handsome show. Sir Henry, in a black 

 coat, is at the gate leading into the field; a 

 couple of men in tweed coats and gaiters, 

 mounted on good-looking hunters ; a farmer on a 

 rough cob ; a young fellow on a polo pony and a 

 boy in a pair of his very big brother's leggings on 

 a smaller and coarser variety of the breed ; the 

 local vet. on a well-bred screw ; and a resplendent 

 youth in brilhant pink, buckskin breeches, and 

 the shiniest of boots, riding a decent sort of 

 lightweight hunter, make up the mounted group. 



