204 THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEASON 



safely through the neighbouring hedge, Jim's tremen- 

 dous view-halloa makes the whole country ring again. 

 This is the signal for every bumpkin and footman to 

 shout and halloa with might and main, thus making 

 the necessary confusion of the find worse confounded 

 still. '' Hold your noisy tongues," shout the Master, 

 huntsman, whip, and all the horsemen ; but " Hold 

 your noisy tongues " they cry in vain. " Tallyho ! 

 tallyho ! tallyho ! " yell the footmen, totally regard- 

 less of all expostulation. But crafty Jim, knowing 

 the idiosyncrasy of the yokels, has made all safe by 

 his silence, until the red-coated rascal is well away. 

 " Hark ! halloa ! " " Hark ! halloa ! " roar the 

 field. " Tootle, tootle ! " goes Joe's hoirn, reechoed 

 by an asthmatical effort in the same direction, on 

 the part of the worthy master, who blows as if his 

 horn was full of dirt. The hounds, however, are 

 accustomed to the sound, feeble as it is, and all rush 

 to the spot where Master, huntsman, and Gipsy Jim 

 are all cheering them exactly at the place where 

 foxy broke away. What a burst of music now" 

 strikes upon the ear, far superior to the delights of 

 any concert it has ever been my lot to be present at, 

 as the hounds acknowledge with joy the rapture 

 they feel at the strong scent left behind by liim they 

 had so unceremoniously disturbed from his comfort- 

 able lodgings ! But the scent is too good for us to 



