MEN AND MANNERS. 43 



pick, lie was quietly liatcliing liis plan of escape. The 

 drain he had entered was to all appearance a wet and 

 uncomfortable refuge — from which, " poor thing," it was 

 only a matter of charity to rescue him, at any cost to 

 himself. Somehow he found a dry corner, and, still 

 better, marked anotlier bolthole at tlie back of the hovel. 

 This done he composed himself for a quarter of an hour 

 to get his wind and choose his opportunity — then slipped 

 quietly out, and stole stealthily away, evading all eyes 

 but a pair trained to keep watch at the sternest of all 

 schools (the sea). But for this keen look-out to wind- 

 ward, the huntsman and his emploj/es might have quar- 

 ried to the end of the claim, and, — as has been known to 

 happen in similar instances — have met with a blank 

 yield. As it happened, the miners were quickly roused, 

 and the hounds as quickly laid on — at the spot where 

 Reynard's somewhat draggled brush had disappeared 

 through a hedge of stupendous growth and thickness. 

 Mr. Otlio Paget bored vigorously into the thorns — and, 

 after being retained half way for a much longer period 

 than most good people dwell over their grace at dinner, 

 wriggled out piecemeal on the other side. Two others 

 accepted the blessing and returned thanks as they too 

 scraped through the blinding thicket — the rest cruised 

 down in search of some opening more suited to their own 

 fair faces and new November outfit. But as well ^.-aze 

 up at a wall of a prison-yard as seek mercy at the hands 

 of a ten-year-old hedge left uncut on the best land in 

 Keyham parish. The gallants who had laughed so gaily 

 at the thorny plunge of young temerity now found them- 



