-the-Ground looked back and laughed one of the few laughs of his
life. It was a joke which he could understand. Then he used the quirt
again to make the most of his advantage.

"That one is finished," said Lord Ploversdale gratefully. But as the
words were in his mouth, Skytail rose with his horse, vaulted up and was
away.

The M. F. H. followed over the hedge shouting at Smith to whip off the
hounds. But the hounds were going too fast. They had got a view of the
fox and three whooping horsemen were behind them driving them on.

The first flight of the field followed the M. F. H. out of the road, and
so did Mr. Carteret, and presently he found himself riding between Lord
Frederic and the Major. They were both a bit winded and had evidently
come fast.

"I say," exclaimed Lord Frederic, "where did you come from?"

"I was cured by the Broncholine," said Mr. Carteret.

"Is your horse fresh?" asked Lord Frederic.

"Yes," replied Mr. Carteret, "I happened upon them at the road."

"Then go after that man Grady," said Lord Frederic, "and implore him to
take those beggars home. They have been riding on the hounds for twenty
minutes."

"Were they able," asked Mr. Carteret, "to stay with their horses at the
fences?"

"Stay with their horses!" puffed the Major.

"Go on, like a good chap," said Lord Frederic, "stop that fellow or I
shall be expelled from the hunt. Was Lord Ploversdale vexed?" he added.

"I should judge by his language," said Mr. Carteret, "that he was
vexed."

"Hurry on," said Lord Frederic. "Put your spurs in."

Mr. Carteret gave his horse its head and he shot to the front, but Grady
was nearly a field in the lead, and it promised to be a long chase, as
he was on the Major's black thoroughbred. The cowboy rode along with a
loose rein and an easy balance seat. At his fences he swung his hat and
cheered. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and Mr. Carteret was anxious
lest he might begin to shoot for pure delight. Such a demonstration
would have been misconstrued. Nearly two hundred yards ahead at the
heels of the pack galloped the Indians, and in the middle distance
between them and Grady rode Lord Ploversdale and Smith vainly trying to
overtake the hounds and whip them off. Behind and trailing over a mile
or more came the field and the rest of the hunt servants in little
groups, all awestruck at what had happened. It was unspeakable that Lord
Ploversdale's hounds, which had been hunted by his father