RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



" I never saw hounds so patient — they could 

 but just hold a line over the chalk — first one and 

 then another puzzled it out, till they got on better 

 terms in Hazlewood Hanger, and when they ran 

 down into the valley again between the cliffs 

 there was a cry it did one's heart good to 

 hear. 



" I had a view of him, crossing Parker's Piece, 

 the long strip of waste land, you know, under 

 Craven Clump ; and he seemed as fresh as you 

 are now — I sat as mute as a mouse, for six-and- 

 thirty noses knew better where he'd gone than I 

 did, and six-and-thirty tongues were at work that 

 never told a lie. The Vicar gave them plenty of 

 room by this time, and all our horses seemed to 

 have had about enough ! 



" * I wish we mayn't have changed in the 

 Hanger,' said Matthew, refreshing the old grey 

 with a side-binder, as they blundered into the 

 lane, but I knew better — he had run the rides, 

 every yard, and that made me hope we should 

 have him in hand before long. 



" It began to get very interesting ; I was near 

 enough to watch each hound doing his work, 

 eighteen couple, all dogs, three and four season 

 hunters, for I hadn't a single puppy out. I wish 

 you had been there, my boy. It was a real 

 lesson in hunting, and I'll tell you what I thought 



of them, one by . Hulloh ! Yes. You'd 



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