32 EACECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



dition, lose the vigour of their strides. The 

 commodore's young one, however, gallops well 

 within himself in the wake of Sir Henry's hig 

 grey, until, our leader coming to a huge ditch — 

 a regular gulf — which we have not sufficient 

 ambition to attempt, we and the majority of the 

 followers turn off to the left, where a welcome 

 gateway is to be seen. The polo pony and his 

 rider disappear in the depths of this yawning 

 chasm — the Wessex ditches are ditches indeed ! 

 — and the wearer of the muddy coat we leave 

 fighting with his horse on the wrong side of the 

 obstacle. Sir Henry remarked, when, on his 

 mounting the grey, I expressed admiration of 

 the animal's looks, that it required a "good 

 strong horse and a bold jumper" to get safely 

 over this country ; and there is no sort of doubt 

 about it. 



Fortunately the hounds make a bend to the 

 left, the gallant cub being headed by some men 

 harvesting in the field by the side of Lady 

 Wood, for which haven we had supposed he was 

 pointing. 



'' I wonder where our swell friend in pink 

 is ? " somebody says. 



"In a corner, somewhere or other, saying 

 * whoa ' to his horse," somebody else replies, as 

 we speed on. 



