124. THE BEST SEASON OX EECORJj. 



and gorse — the latter a two-year-old growth on a sunny 

 slope focing towards Melton (which is some three miles 

 away). A strong cluster of men (mostly on their second 

 horses) stood on the opposite hillside ; and bold Reynard 

 went away before their ftices, almost unasked. The 

 huntsman was out of covert, and hounds laid on in a 

 trice. From the very first they went to work with all 

 the briskness of the morning ; dashing hotly past the 

 little spinney of Cant's Thorns, and cutting almost at 

 once into the line they had travelled in the merry 

 forenoon. As then, they raced across the green 

 meadows of Kettleby Parish ; and soon afterwards 

 crossed the Holwell waggonway for Old Hills. Now 

 again our friend fox came to the rescue — pointing out 

 where, and where only it was possible to cross the 

 double-timbered barrier. A twenty-feet breach had 

 been left in the woodwork as if for this special occasion ; 

 and by this means men were able to dive in-and-out of 

 the Old Hills gully with the hounds, and fairly steeple- 

 chase after them, over the road and down the valley 

 beyond — pointing for Scalford Village exactly as in the 

 morning. A close little knot of riders made up the first 

 flight this afternoon — including, among others, and in 

 addition to the few whose names have already been set 

 down in connection with the first run. Lord Bel per and 

 Capt. O'Neal, Mr. and Mrs. Pennington, Mr. and ]\Iiss 

 Chaplin, Major and iMiss Starkey, Mr. Ijcaumont, 

 Mr. Hume, Mr. Newton, &:c. IMost of these had held an 

 equally good position in the former gallop; and, in trutli, 

 to the three ladies reallv belonfr the honours of the dav, 



