RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



hand up to warn those behind, a "bit of cheek," 

 as they call this precautionary measure, which he 

 will be made to remember for some days to come ! 



He is not such a fool but that he knows, from 

 experience in the old country, how a little patience 

 at these critical moments makes the whole 

 difference between a good day's sport and a bad. 

 It would be provoking to lose the chance of a 

 gallop now, when he has got such a start, and is 

 riding the best horse in his stable, so he looks 

 anxiously over his shoulder for the huntsman, who 

 is coming, and stands fifty yards aloof, which he 

 considers a liberal allowance, that the hounds may 

 have space to swing. 



To-day there is a good scent and a good fox, a 

 combination that happens oftener than might be 

 supposed. Harmony, who, notwithstanding her 

 recent peril, has never been off the line, though 

 the others over-shot it, scours away at a tangent, 

 with the slightest possible whimper, and her stern 

 down, the leading hounds wheeling to her like 

 pigeons, and the whole pack driving forward 

 again, harder than before. 



It is a beautiful turn ; young Rapid would 

 admire It, no doubt, were his attention not dis- 

 tracted by the gate out of the field, which is 

 chained up, and a hurried calculation as to 

 whether it is too high for the King to attempt. 



The solution is obvious. I need hardly say he 



230 



