MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 335 



the field exclaiming, as the Edmonton people did, by Johnny 

 Gilpin, 



He's on I no, he's off, he hangs by the mane ! 



At last he got shuffled back into the saddle, and the cry of 

 hounds in cover attracting the outsiders back, the scene quickly 

 changed, and the horsemen were again over head in wood. They 

 now swept up the grass ride to the exposed part of the higher 

 ground, the trees gradually diminishing in size, till, on reaching 

 the top, they did not come much above a horse's shoulder. This 

 point commanded a fine view over the adjacent country. Behind, 

 was the rich vale of Dairylow, with its villages and spires, and 

 trees and inclosures, while in front was nothing but the undulating, 

 wide-stretching downs, reaching to the soft grey hills in the dis- 

 tance. There was not, however, much time for contemplating 

 scenery ; for Wily Tom, who had stolen to this point immediately 

 the hounds took up the scent, now viewed the fox stealing over a 

 gap in the wall, and, the field catching sight, there was such a 

 hullabaloo as would have made a more composed and orderly- 

 minded fox think it better to break instead of running the outside of 

 the wall as this one intended to do. What wind there was swept 

 over the downs ; and putting himself straight to catch it, he went 

 away whisking his brush in the air, as if he was fresh out of 

 his kennel instead of a sack. Then what a commotion there was ! 

 Such jumpings off to lead down, such huggings and holdings, and 

 wooa-ings of those that sat on, such slidings and scramblings, and 

 loosenings and rollings of stones. Then the frantic horses began 

 to bound, and the frightened riders to exclaim, 



" Do get out of my way, sir." 



" Mind, sir ! I'm a-top of you ! " 



" Give him his head and let him go ! " exclaimed the still 

 drunken brother Bob Spangles, sliding his horse down with a slack 

 rein. 



" That's your sort ! " roared Sir Harry, and just as he said it, 

 his horse dropped on his hind-quarters like a rabbit, landing Sir 

 Harry comfortably on his feet, amid the roars of the foot-people, 

 and the mirth of such of the horsemen as were not too frightened 

 to laugh. 



"I think I'll stay where I am," observed Mr. Bugles, preparing 

 for a bird's-eye view where he was. " This hunting," said he, 

 getting off the fidgety Arab, " seems dangerous." 



The parties who accomplished the descent had now some fine 

 plain sailing for their trouble. The line lay across the open downs, 

 composed of sound, springy, racing-like turf, extremely well 

 adapted for trying the pace either of horses or hounds. And very 

 soon it did try the pace of them, for they had not gone above a mile 



