Presently, from away off in the forest on the left, a mellow bugle-note came floating; then all of a sudden a multitude of dogs burst out of that forest and went tearing by and disappeared in the forest on the right; there was a pause, and then a cloud of horsemen in black caps and crimson coats plunged out of the left-hand forest and went flaming across the field like a prairie-fire, a stirring sight to see.

There was one man ahead of the rest, and he came spurring straight at me.

He was fiercely excited.

It was fine to see him ride; he was a master horseman.

He came like, a storm till he was within seven feet of me, where I was leaning on the wall, then he stood his horse straight up in the air on his hind toe-nails, and shouted like a demon: "'Which way'd the fox go ?' "I didn't much like the tone, but I did not let on; for he was excited, you know.