166 



THE BEST SEASON ON RECOED. 



thought nor parley ; hut hundled through the covert, out 

 at the bottom, and away up the green slope as if the 

 de — no, Firr and all his angels were after him. And so 

 they wxre, close and sharp and cheerily — as he rose the 

 greensward beside the railway, and made his "way 

 towards Tilton Station (as a fortnight before). The 

 field, of even more than ordinary Friday strength, trooped 













'< DASHED THROUGH THE VERY LEGS OF THE HUNTSMAN'S HORSE." 



down the ride and out through the ample gateway — as if 

 one and all Avould be with the hounds, happen what 

 might. And yet- — and yet — again the old story — another 

 mile found considerably less than a dozen near hounds, 

 while the ruck toiled on — happy enough in most 

 instances perhaps but not toitli hounds. Ill luck shut off 

 a strong and capable section ; tlie pace choked off a large 

 number more — and many of the rest got in each other's 

 Avay. The firstnamed, as I learned, were victimised thus 

 — Hounds, be it remembered, kept the railway embank- 

 ment just on their left. The two first fences (the one a 



