Tony, whose fault
was a tendency to mystery,--as is the fault of most huntsmen,--
having accomplished his object in stopping the hounds, pretended to
cast about with great diligence. He crossed the road and was down
one side of a field and along another, looking anxiously for the
Captain. "The fox has gone on to the gorse," said the elder Botsey;
"what a stupid old pig he is;"--meaning that Tony Tuppet was the
pig.
"He was seen going on," said Larry, who had come across a man
mending a drain.
"It would be his run of course," said Hampton, who was generally up
to Tony's wiles, but who was now as much in the dark as others.
Then four or five rode up to the huntsman and told him that the fox
had been seen heading for the gorse. Tony said not a word but bit
his lips and scratched his head and bethought himself what fools
men might be even though they did ride well to hounds. One word of
explanation would have settled it all, but he would not speak that
word till he whispered it to Captain Glomax.
In the meantime there was a crowd in the road waiting to see the
result of Tony's manoeuvres. And then, as is usual on such
occasions, a little mild repartee went about,--what the sportsmen
themselves would have called "chaff." Ned Botsey came up, not
having broken his horse's back as had been rumoured, but having had
to drag the brute out of the brook with the help of two countrymen,
and the Major was asked about his fall till he was forced to open
his mouth.
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