68 SIR WHEELER CUFFE 



After partaking of his tench, and other good fare prepared 

 for us that evening, Lord Ducie asked, " What say you, 

 Sir Wheeler, to kilhng a cub to-morrow morning ? There 

 is a good htter not far off ; but as the weather is hot, we 

 must be moving very early." 



" With all my heart," Sir Wheeler replied ; *' any hour 

 will suit me." 



" Well, then," said Lord Ducie, " you shall be called 

 at three ; we can then breakfast, and be in our saddles 

 by four." 



I could perceive this getting up in the middle of the 

 night did not quite tally with Sir Wheeler's humour ; 

 but no objection being raised, we were up and dressing 

 by candle-light the next morning, and reached the covert 

 side by dawn of day — a thick plantation on the side of 

 a hill, where Lord Ducie and his pack were quickly at 

 work, stirring up the cubs ; Sir Wheeler and myself 

 taking up our station in an old truckway above it, at 

 some distance from each other, so that we might view 

 any fox that crossed our path. 



The foxes showing great disinclination to shift their 

 quarters, my Lord and his pack soon found it pretty hot 

 work, as the sun had now risen full against the hill-side ; 

 but after being knocked about for some considerable 

 time, one fox the hounds were hunting poked his nose 

 out at top, when, unfortunately catching sight of Sir 

 Wheeler's nose, he popped his own back again into covert. 

 Up came the hounds all alive, with their huntsman in 

 close attendance, and swinging over the road, were of 

 course at fault. 



*' Where's he gone ? " screamed the Master, peppery 

 hot. 



" Headed back into covert," rephed Sir Wheeler. 



