o's, I wonder? ought to be at school larnin' to cipher, or ridin' the
globes,' Mr. Watchorn not exactly knowing what the term 'use of the
globes,' meant. 'D'ye call that _nothin_'!' exclaimed he, taking off his
cap as he viewed the fox stealing along the gravel walk; adding to himself,
as he saw his even action, and full, well-tagged brush, ''Ord rot him, he's
got hold of the wrong 'un!'

It was, however, no time for thought. In an instant the welkin rang with
the outburst of the pack and the clamour of the field. 'Talli ho!' 'Talli
ho!' 'Talli ho!' 'Hoop!' 'Hoop!' 'Hoop!' cried a score of voices, and
'Twang! twang! twang!' went the shrill horn of the huntsman. The whips,
too, stood in their stirrups, cracking their ponderous thongs, which
sounded like guns upon the frosty air, and contributed their 'Get together!
get together, hounds!' 'Hark away!' 'Hark away!' 'Hark away!' 'Hark' to the
general uproar. Oh, what a row, what a riot, what a racket! Watchorn being
'in' for it, and recollecting how many saw a start who never thought of
seeing a finish, immediately got his horse by the head, and singled himself
out from the crowd now pressing at his horse's heels, determining, if the
hounds didn't run into their fox in the park, to ride them off the scent at
the very first opportunity. The 'chumpine' being still alive within him, in
the excitement of the moment he leaped the hand-gate leading out of the
shrubberies into the park; the noise the horse made in taking off
resembling the trampling on wood-pavement.

'Cuss it, but it's 'ard!' exclaimed he, as the horse slid two or three
yards as he alighted on the frozen field.

George Cheek followed him; and Multum-in-Parvo, taking the bit deliberately
between his teeth, just walked through the gate, as if it had been made of
paper.

'Ah, ye brute!' groaned Mr. Sponge, in disgust, digging the Latchfords into
his sides, as if he intended to make them meet in the middle. 'Ah, ye
brute!' repeated he, giving him a hearty cropper as he put up his head
after trying to kick him off.

'Thank you!' exclaimed Miss Glitters, cantering up; adding, 'you cleared
the way nicely for me.'

Nicely he had cleared it for them all; and the pent-up tide of
equestrianism now poured over the park like the flood of an irrigated water
meadow. Such ponies! such horses! such hugging! such kicking! such
scrambling! and so little progress with many!

The park being extensive--three hundred acres or mo