116 SPORTING ADVENTURES OF 



be had the deer uncarted some three-quarters of a 

 mile from where they were, the van containing him 

 was backed not very far from a flight of sheep- 

 hurdles, and a double line of foot people being 

 formed, the door of the cart opened and out leapt 

 the stag. Looking around him for an instant, he 

 started away at a quick trot, and then, as the 

 shouting became louder, commenced to canter, 

 cleared the hurdles, and was away. 



" Lot of these London cads down here to-day," 

 remarked young Lord Eeckless to his friend Sir 

 Henry Careful. " Don't know, 'pon my soul, what 

 they come here for." 



" For about the same reason you do — to see the 

 hounds, and get a fall or two." 



" Ah, that's all very fine," retorted his Lordship, 

 " for you to say so. You never ride at anything, 

 therefore you are pretty safe. I ride at every- 

 thing." 



" But never by any chance get over," interrupted 

 the baronet, " except through your horse's ears." ♦ 



What more they said was cut short by the 

 hounds coming up on the line of the stag, and 

 racing away. 



I got over the hurdles all right, and so did most 

 of the field ; but at the second fence I was down. 

 And T saw Cropper unseated at the same instant, 



