70 EACECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



loosely and following on at long and distant 

 intervals. 



We watch the disappearing sportsmen till 

 our attention is called by a clucking and flutter- 

 ing in the poultry yard. 



" That's it. I knew how it would be ! 

 There's one of those wretched hounds chasing 

 my chickens about ! " the commodore exclaimed, 

 hurrying off; and, indeed, we found two four- 

 legged truants from Poult's kennels misconduct- 

 ing themselves as the commodore had surmised. 

 These, being driven off with execrations, set off' 

 on 23rivate business of their own, and we resumed 

 our chat till interrupted by the appearance of a 

 horseman trotting up the drive. It was Stuart, 

 who had followed my example of coming to look 

 np our friend. 



"Did you kill your fox?" the commodore 

 asked, with a twinkle in his eyes, as, Stuart 

 having given his horse over to a groom, we 

 entered the house. 



" I don't believe it was a fox they were 

 running at all ; I believe it was a hare. But, 

 oddly enough, they did kill a fox, chopped it in 

 the wood there, and I never saw such a thing 

 in my life. The hounds wouldn't touch it. That 

 drunken old rascal, Toppler, yelled to them in 

 vaiu. One old fellow had a sniff' at the fox, 



