for his Lordship, being rather corpulent and easily
fatigued, stopped every now and then to gasp for breath; till at last,
feeling it impossible to get on faster, though the stables were now
within sight, he seized the branch of a large oak tree, which swept
nearly to the ground, and contrived, with great difficulty, to scramble
out of reach.

The enraged bull gazed up into the tree and bellowed with fury, when he
saw Lord Rockville so judiciously perched overhead, and he remained for
half-an-hour, watching to see if his Lordship would venture down again.
At last the tormenting animal began leisurely eating grass under the
tree, but gradually he moved away, turning his back while he fed, till
Lord Rockville vainly deluded himself with the hope of stealing off
unobserved. Being somewhat rested and refreshed, while the enemy was
looking in another direction, he descended cautiously, as if he had been
going to tread upon needles and pins; but, unaccustomed to such
movements, he jumped so heavily upon the ground, that the bull hearing a
noise, turned round, and set up a loud furious roar, when he saw his
intended victim again within reach.

Now the race began once more with redoubled agility! The odds seemed
greatly in favour of the bull, and Lord Rockville thought he already
felt the animal's horns in his side, when a groom, who saw the party
approaching, instantly seized a pitchfork and flew to the rescue of his
master. Lord Rockville never stopped his career till he reached the
stable, and ran up into a loft, from the window of which he gave the
alarm and called for more assistance, when several ploughmen and
stable-boys assembled, who drove the animal with great difficulty, into
a stall, where he continued so ungovernable, that iron chains were put
round his neck, and some days afterwards, seeing no one could manage
him, Lord Rockville ordered the bull to be shot, and his carcase turned
into beef for the poor of the parish, who all, consequently, rejoiced at
his demise; though the meat turned out so tough, that it required their
best teeth to eat it with.

Meantime, on that memorable evening of so many adventures, Harry, Laura,
and Lady Rockville, wondered often what had become of his Lordship, and,
at last, when supper appeared at the usual hour, his absence became
still more unaccountable!

"What can be the matter?" exclaimed Lady Rockville, anxiously. "This is
very odd! His Lordship is as punctual as the postman