tryman; "my name is John Hodge, and I live in Lowley
Bottom; ye knows where that is, I'm thinking."

"That I do; very glad. I'll come and see you, John Hodge; good-bye,
good-bye;" exclaimed Ernest, as he and Buttar set off at full speed
across a grassy willow-bounded field towards Fairway Tower, which
appeared full in sight on the downs above them. They had thoroughly
regained their wind during the time they had spent with John Hodge, so
now they went away once more at full speed. They had a number of
broadish ditches to leap, but they easily sprang over them, laughing
whenever they pictured to themselves any of their followers tumbling in,
a catastrophe they thought very likely to occur at two or three places,
where the bank they had to leap to was higher than the one they leaped
from.

Once more they reached the foot of the downs. These downs rose on the
opposite side of the broad stream they had crossed. Looking along the
course of the river towards the sea, it appeared as if the silvery
thread of water had cut the green hills in two parts, and that then they
had slipped away from it on either side, leaving a broadish expanse
covered with meadows and copses, and here and there a corn-field, and a
cottage garden, and a potato-ground, with its small, low,
straw-thatched, mud cottage.

Up--up the smooth, closely cropped side of the steep hill they climb,
with just as good a heart as when they started. Steep as it was, they
scarcely panted an instant. Ernest was in capital training; that is to
say, he was in the condition in which a strong healthy boy ought always
to be. So, indeed, was Buttar; for neither of them ever ate a particle
more of food than they required, they eschewed tarts of all sorts, and
kept all their limbs and muscles in full exercise. May English boys
never cease to practise athletic sports, and more especially systematic
gymnastics!

The hare and his companion soon reached the top of the downs, and
turning round, spread out their arms with open palms, and gulped down a
dozen draughts of the pure fresh breeze, which would now be somewhat
behind them, though they had hitherto had it chiefly in their faces, an
important advantage which Ernest had taken into consideration when he
selected the course for the day.

Note it, all you who may have to do hare. Get the wind in your face as
much as possible during your outward course, in cold as well as in hot
weather, but more especially in hot.