ain't there?" said one farmer to another, as they
were entering.

"Yes, there be a gap, and young Grubbles broke his 'orse's back a
getting over of it last year," said the second farmer.

"Did he though?" said the first; and so they both remained at the
gate.

And others, a numerous body, including most of the ladies, galloped
up and down the cross ways, because the master of the hounds and the
huntsman did so. "D---- those fellows riding up and down after me
wherever I go," said the master. "I believe they think I'm to be
hunted." This seemed to be said more especially to Miss Tristram, who
was always in the master's confidence; and I fear that the fellows
alluded to included Miss Furnival and Miss Staveley.

And then there came the sharp, eager sound of a hound's voice; a
single, sharp, happy opening bark, and Harriet Tristram was the first
to declare that the game was found. "Just five minutes and twenty
seconds, my lord," said Julia Tristram to Lord Alston. "That's not
bad in a large wood like this."

"Uncommonly good," said his lordship. "And when are we to get out of
it?"

"They'll be here for the next hour, I'm afraid," said the lady, not
moving her horse from the place where she stood, though many of the
more impetuous of the men were already rushing away to the gates.
"I have seen a fox go away from here without resting a minute; but
that was later in the season, at the end of February. Foxes are away
from home then." All which observations showed a wonderfully acute
sporting observation on the part of Miss Tristram.

And then the music of the dogs became fast and frequent, as they
drove the brute across and along from one part of the large wood to
another. Sure there is no sound like it for filling a man's heart
with an eager desire to be at work. What may be the trumpet in battle
I do not know, but I can imagine that it has the same effect. And
now a few of them were standing on that wide circular piece of grass,
when a sound the most exciting of them all reached their ears. "He's
away!" shouted a whip from a corner of the wood. The good-natured
beast, though as yet it was hardly past Christmas-time, had consented
to bless at once so many anxious sportsmen, and had left the back of
the covert with the full pack at his heels.

"There is no gate that way, Miss Tristram," said a gentleman.

"There's a double ditch and bank that will do as well," said she, and
away she went directly after the hounds,