ordship this day.'

'Thank you for nothing,' grunted his lordship to himself.

Bump, bump; trot, trot; jabber, jabber, on they went as before.

They had now got to the cover, Tickler Gorse, and ere the last horsemen had
reached the last angle of the long hill, Frostyface was rolling about on
foot in the luxuriant evergreen; now wholly visible, now all but overhead,
like a man buffeting among the waves of the sea. Save Frosty's cheery voice
encouraging the invisible pack to 'wind him!' and 'rout him out!' an
injunction that the shaking of the gorse showed they willingly obeyed, and
an occasional exclamation from Jawleyford, of 'Beautiful! beautiful!--never
saw better hounds!--can't be a finer pack!' not a sound disturbed the
stillness of the scene. The waggoners on the road stopped their wains, the
late noisy ploughmen leaned vacantly on their stilts, the turnip-pullers
stood erect in air, and the shepherds' boys deserted the bleating
flocks;--all was life and joy and liberty--'Liberty, equality, and
foxhunt-ity!'

'Yo--i--cks, wind him! Y--o--o--icks! rout him out!' went Frosty;
occasionally varying the entertainment with a loud crack of his heavy whip,
when he could get upon a piece of rising ground to clear the thong.

'Tally-ho!' screamed Jawleyford, hoisting the Bumperkin Yeomanry cap in the
air. 'Tally-ho!' repeated he, looking triumphantly round, as much as to
say, 'What a clever boy am I!'

'Hold your noise!' roared Jack, who was posted a little below. 'Don't you
see it's a hare?' added he, amidst the uproarious mirth of the company.

'I haven't your great staring specs on, or I should have seen he hadn't a
tail,' retorted Jawleyford, nettled at the tone in which Jack had addressed
him.

'Tail be--!' replied Jack, with a sneer; 'who but a tailor would call it a
tail?'

Just then a light low squeak of a whimper was heard in the thickest part of
the gorse, and Frostyface cheered the hound to the echo. 'Hoick to,
Pillager! H--o--o--ick!' screamed he, in a long-drawn note, that thrilled
through every frame, and set the horses a-capering.

Ere Frosty's prolonged screech was fairly finished, there was such an
outburst of melody, and such a shaking of the gorse-bushes, as plainly
showed there was no safety for Reynard in cover; and great was the bustle
and commotion among the horsemen. Mr. Fossick lowered his hat-string and
ran the fox's tooth through the buttonhole; Fyle drew his girths; Washball
took a long