ng.

No people but those who have played at hare and hounds, can fully
appreciate the excitement, the interest, and the pleasure of the game;
or the proud feeling of the hare, who finds that he is successfully
baffling his pursuers when he is distancing them by the rapidity of his
pace, or by the artfulness of his dodges; still all the time, whatever
twists and turns he may make, knowing that he is bound to leave traces
of his scent sufficiently strong to lead on the hounds.

The greater part of the day was consumed in preparations for the hunt.
Everybody engaged looked out their easiest shoes, and their thickest
worsted socks. Still a huntsman and a whipper-in were to be chosen:
Buttar proposed asking Lemon, and Bouldon seconded the motion. But then
it was suggested, that Ernest had consulted him as to the course he
should pursue. One or two cried out for Blackall. "No, no; let us ask
Lemon," said Buttar again; "if he knows too much about the course
Bracebridge is to take, he will not go; but if he thinks it is right, he
will. We can always trust Lemon's honour, you know."

No one dissented from this opinion. Probably Lemon himself was scarcely
aware how popular he really was; and certainly he would have been fully
satisfied with the grounds on which his popularity was founded. At
last, Lemon was met coming into the playground. Several voices assailed
him with "Will you be huntsman?"

"Will you be huntsman, Lemon?"

"I must take time to consider; it is a serious undertaking," he
answered, laughing. "I will see what Tommy and Buttar have to say."

They expressed their own opinions, and mentioned all that had been said.
"Very well, I can take the part very conscientiously," he added; "I
merely advised Bracebridge in a general way, what course to take; and
when he knows that I am to be huntsman, he will deviate sufficiently to
prevent me from being able to follow him, unless I get hold of the
scent."

In the evening, when Ernest came back, he expressed his perfect
readiness to have Lemon as huntsman. Bouldon was chosen as whipper-in.

"And I'll try to be one of the fleetest hounds," said Dawson, "since I'm
neither hare, nor huntsman, nor whipper-in."

Lemon possessed many qualifications for his office; and, among others, a
capital horn, on which he could play very well. We always got up our
games of hare and hounds in first-rate style. The huntsman, besides his
horn, was furnished with a white flag,