t
the leap. He also got well over. But, alas! in spite of such early
success he was destined to see nothing of the hunt that day! Felix
Graham, thinking that he would obey instructions by letting his horse
do as he pleased, permitted the beast to come close upon Orme's track
and to make his jump before Orme's horse had taken his second spring.

"Have a care," said Peregrine, feeling that the two were together on
the bank, "or you'll shove me into the ditch." He however got well
over.

Felix, attempting to "have a care" just when his doing so could be
of no avail, gave his horse a pull with the curb as he was preparing
for his second spring. The outside ditch was broad and deep and well
banked up, and required that an animal should have all his power. It
was at such a moment as this that he should have been left to do his
work without injudicious impediment from his rider. But poor Graham
was thinking only of Orme's caution, and attempted to stop the beast
when any positive and absolute stop was out of the question. The
horse made his jump, and, crippled as he was, jumped short. He came
with his knees against the further bank, threw his rider, and then in
his struggle to right himself rolled over him.

Felix felt at once that he was much hurt--that he had indeed come to
grief; but still he was not stunned nor did he lose his presence of
mind. The horse succeeded in gaining his feet, and then Felix also
jumped up and even walked a step or two towards the head of the
animal with the object of taking the reins. But he found that he
could not raise his arm, and he found also that he could hardly
breathe.

Both Peregrine and Miss Tristram looked back. "There's nothing
wrong I hope," said the lady; and then she rode on. And let it be
understood that in hunting those who are in advance generally do
ride on. The lame and the halt and the wounded, if they cannot pick
themselves up, have to be picked up by those who come after them. But
Peregrine saw that there was no one else coming that way. The memory
of young Grubbles' fate had placed an interdict on that pass out
of the wood, which nothing short of the pluck and science of Miss
Tristram was able to disregard. Two cavaliers she had carried with
her. One she had led on to instant slaughter, and the other remained
to look after his fallen brother-in-arms. Miss Tristram in the mean
time was in the next field and had settled well down to her work.

"Are you hurt, old fellow