198 How I Became a Sportsmax. 



huntsman is forcing his horse through the 

 gorse, whether he likes or not. He presently 

 gives them a cheer ; he has evidently seen 

 the fox. The cry of the hounds is still heard, 

 making their way down to the opposite corner 

 to that where the whip is stationed. All at 

 once they are perfectly quiet ; the fox has 

 turned, and they have overrun it. No, the 

 field can see the whip's cap in the air, but no 

 sound comes from his lips ; he is watching the 

 fox going away right across the open, and 

 it is not until the fox disappears over the 

 crest of some rising ground that he claps 

 on his cap, and gives a rattling, unmistakable 

 scream. But the horsemen have seen the fox 

 as well, and are all alive and impatient for 

 a start. Hardly is the whip's " holloa away " 

 ended, before the huntsman is out of the 

 gorse. He had followed the hounds down. 

 The whip is going, and points to the direction 

 in which the fox has gone; but it is hardly 

 necessary, for first one hound then another 

 appears, each one puts his nose to the ground 

 and feels for the line. The huntsman gives 

 one toot of his horn, and every hound is 

 out of the gorse ; they seem with one accord 



