MY FIRST AND LAST STEEPLE-CHASE 155 



On my way T met one of the stewards, who told 

 me the races had been postponed until four o'clock 

 in the afternoon, and on reaching the lodge found 

 Dick and the officers engaged in recovering " sal- 

 vage " from the tent. Getting out a wagonette, I 

 soon had it filled with volunteers, and drove them 

 over to the barn, where we once more set to work, 

 and for the next few hours the rats and spiders had 

 a bad time of it. 



I was hard at work converting some rough deal 

 boards into a supper-table, when a little boy 

 handed me a note, saying — 



" They are clearin' the coorse, yer honour ; you 

 haven't a minit to lose ; I brought down a ' baste ' 

 for you." 



The note was from Dick, telling me the first 

 race would be run off at once. There was a 

 dressing-room provided on the ground, so, jumping 

 on the horse, I rode down. 



The storm, after doing all the harm it well could 

 to us, had now cleared off, and the scene on the 

 course was lively and animated enough. A dozen 

 frieze-coated farmers, headed by an old huntsman 

 in scarlet, were galloping wildly about to clear the 

 ground, the usual " clog " being represented, on this 

 occasion, by a legion of curs, barking at the heels 

 of stray donkeys, sheep, cows, and goats, as they 



