'Oh yes, ma'am; we couldn't draw the Daisies this afternoon if we
didn't.'
'It'll be up to the horses' bellies.'
'Those who don't like it can go round.'
'They'd never be there in time, Fowler.'
'There's many a man, ma'am, as don't mind that. You won't be one
to stay behind.' The water was up to the horses' bellies, but,
nevertheless, Mrs Spooner was at the gorse side when the Daisies
were drawn.
They found and were away in a minute. It was all done so quickly
that Fowler, who had along gone into the gorse, had hardly time to
get out with his hounds. The fox ran right back, as though he were
making for the Duke's pernicious wood. In the first field or two
there was a succession of gates, and there was not much to do in
the way of jumping. Then the fox, keeping straight ahead, deviated
from the line by which they had come, making for the brook by a
more direct course. The ruck of the horsemen, understanding the
matter very well, left the hounds, and went to the right, riding
for the ford. The ford was of such a nature that but one horse
could pass it at a time, and that one had to scramble through deep
mud.
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