ostling one another. "Forward" again, before they
are half through; the pace quickens into a sharp run, the tail hounds
all straining to get up with the lucky leaders. They are gallant hares,
and the scent lies thick right across another meadow and into a ploughed
field, where the pace begins to tell; and then over a good wattle with a
ditch on the other side, and down a large pasture studded with old
thorns, which slopes down to the first brook; the great Leicestershire
sheep charge away across the field as the pack comes racing down the
slope. The brook is a small one, and the scent lies right ahead up the
opposite slope, and as thick as ever; not a turn or a check to favour
the tail hounds, who strain on, now trailing in a long line, many a
youngster beginning to drag his legs heavily, and feel his heart beat
like a hammer, and the bad plucked ones thinking that after all it isn't
worth while to keep it up.

Tom, East, and the Tadpole had a good start, and are well up for such
young hands, and after rising the slope and crossing the next field,
find themselves up with the leading hounds, who have over-run the scent
and are trying back; they have come a mile and a half in about eleven
minutes, a pace which shows that it is the last day. About twenty-five
of the original starters only show here, the rest having already given
in; the leaders are busy making casts into the fields on the left and
right, and the others get their second winds.

Then comes the cry of "forward" again, from young Brooke, from the
extreme left, and the pack settles down to work again steadily and
doggedly, the whole keeping pretty well together. The scent, though
still good, is not so thick; there is no need of that, for in this part
of the run every one knows the line which must be taken, and so there
are no casts to be made, but good downright running and fencing to be
done. All who are now up mean coming in, and they come to the foot of
Barby Hill without losing more than two or three more of the pack. This
last straight two miles and a half is always a vantage ground for the
hounds, and the hares know it well; they are generally viewed on the
side of Barby Hill, and all eyes are on the look-out for them to-day.
But not a sign of them appears, so now will be the hard work for the
hounds, and there is nothing for it but to cast about for the scent, for
it is now the hares' turn, and they may baffle the pack dreadfully in
the next two miles.