Theonlyincidentworthrecordinghere，however，washisfirstrunathare-and-hounds。OnthelastTuesdaybutoneofthehalf-yearhewaspassingthroughthehallafterdinner，whenhewashailedwithshoutsfromTadpoleandseveralotherfagsseatedatoneofthelongtables，thechorusofwhichwas，“Comeandhelpustearupscent。“
Tomapproachedthetableinobediencetothemysterioussummons，alwaysreadytohelp，andfoundthepartyengagedintearingupoldnewspapers，copy-books，andmagazines，intosmallpieces，withwhichtheywerefillingfourlargecanvasbags。
“It’stheturnofourhousetofindscentforbig-sidehare-and-
hounds，“exclaimedTadpole。“Tearaway；there’snotimetolosebeforecalling-over。“
“Ithinkit’sagreatshame，“saidanothersmallboy，“tohavesuchahardrunforthelastday。“
“Whichrunisit？“saidTadpole。
“Oh，theBarbyrun，Ihear，“answeredtheother；“ninemilesatleast，andhardground；nochanceofgettinginatthefinish，unlessyou’reafirst-ratescud。“
“Well，I’mgoingtohaveatry，“saidTadpole；“it’sthelastrunofthehalf，andifafellowgetsinattheendbig-sidestandsaleandbreadandcheeseandabowlofpunch；andtheCock’ssuchafamousplaceforale。“
“Ishouldliketotrytoo，“saidTom。
“Well，then，leaveyourwaistcoatbehind，andlistenatthedoor，aftercalling-over，andyou’llhearwherethemeetis。“
Aftercalling-over，sureenoughthereweretwoboysatthedoor，callingout，“Big-sidehare-and-houndsmeetatWhiteHall；“andTom，havinggirdedhimselfwithleatherstrap，andleftallsuperfluousclothingbehind，setoffforWhiteHall，anoldgable-endedhousesomequarterofamilefromthetown，withEast，whomhehadpersuadedtojoin，notwithstandinghisprophecythattheycouldnevergetin，asitwasthehardestrunoftheyear。
Atthemeettheyfoundsomefortyorfiftyboys，andTomfeltsure，fromhavingseenmanyofthemrunatfootball，thatheandEastweremorelikelytogetinthanthey。
Afterafewminutes’waiting，twowell-knownrunners，chosenforthehares，buckledonthefourbagsfilledwithscent，comparedtheirwatcheswiththoseofyoungBrookeandThorne，andstartedoffatalong，slingingtrotacrossthefieldsinthedirectionofBarby。
ThenthehoundsclusteredroundThorne，whoexplainedshortly，“They’retohavesixminutes’law。WerunintotheCock，andeveryonewhocomesinwithinaquarterofanhourofthehares’llbecounted，ifhehasbeenroundBarbychurch。“Thencameaminute’spauseorso，andthenthewatchesarepocketed，andthepackisledthroughthegatewayintothefieldwhichthehareshadfirstcrossed。Heretheybreakintoatrot，scatteringoverthefieldtofindthefirsttracesofthescentwhichtheharesthrowoutastheygoalong。Theoldhoundsmakestraightforthelikelypoints，andinaminuteacryof“Forward“comesfromoneofthem，andthewholepack，quickeningtheirpace，makeforthespot，whiletheboywhohitthescentfirst，andthetwoorthreenearesttohim，areoverthefirstfence，andmakingplayalongthehedgerowinthelonggrass-
fieldbeyond。Therestofthepackrushatthegapalreadymade，andscramblethrough，jostlingoneanother。“Forward“
again，beforetheyarehalfthrough。Thepacequickensintoasharprun，thetailhoundsallstrainingtogetuptotheluckyleaders。Theyaregallanthares，andthescentliesthickrightacrossanothermeadowandintoaploughedfield，wherethepacebeginstotell；thenoveragoodwattlewithaditchontheotherside，anddownalargepasturestuddedwitholdthorns，whichslopesdowntothefirstbrook。ThegreatLeicestershiresheepchargeawayacrossthefieldasthepackcomesracingdowntheslope。Thebrookisasmallone，andthescentliesrightaheaduptheoppositeslope，andasthickasever——notaturnorachecktofavourthetailhounds，whostrainon，nowtrailinginalongline，manyayoungsterbeginningtodraghislegsheavily，andfeelhisheartbeatlikeahammer，andthebad-pluckedonesthinkingthatafterallitisn’tworthwhiletokeepitup。
Tom，East，andtheTadpolehadagoodstart，andarewellupforsuchyounghands，andafterrisingtheslopeandcrossingthenextfield，findthemselvesupwiththeleadinghounds，whohaveoverrunthescent，andaretryingback。Theyhavecomeamileandahalfinaboutelevenminutes，apacewhichshowsthatitisthelastday。Abouttwenty-fiveoftheoriginalstartersonlyshowhere，theresthavingalreadygivenin；theleadersarebusymakingcastsintothefieldsontheleftandright，andtheothersgettheirsecondwinds。
Thencomesthecryof“Forward“againfromyoungBrooke，fromtheextremeleft，andthepacksettlesdowntoworkagainsteadilyanddoggedly，thewholekeepingprettywelltogether。
Thescent，thoughstillgood，isnotsothick；thereisnoneedofthat，forinthispartoftheruneveryoneknowsthelinewhichmustbetaken，andsotherearenocaststobemade，butgooddownrightrunningandfencingtobedone。Allwhoarenowupmeancomingin，andtheycometothefootofBarbyHillwithoutlosingmorethantwoorthreemoreofthepack。Thislaststraighttwomilesandahalfisalwaysavantagegroundforthehounds，andtheharesknowitwell；theyaregenerallyviewedonthesideofBarbyHill，andalleyesareonthelookoutforthemto-day。Butnotasignofthemappears，sonowwillbethehardworkforthehounds，andthereisnothingforitbuttocastaboutforthescent，foritisnowthehares’
turn，andtheymaybafflethepackdreadfullyinthenexttwomiles。
Illfaresitnowwithouryoungsters，thattheyareSchool-houseboys，andsofollowyoungBrooke，forhetakesthewidecastsroundtotheleft，consciousofhisownpowers，andlovingthehardwork。Forifyouwouldconsiderforamoment，yousmallboys，youwouldrememberthattheCock，wheretherunendsandthegoodalewillbegoing，liesfarouttotherightontheDunchurchroad，sothateverycastyoutaketotheleftissomuchextrawork。Andatthisstageoftherun，whentheeveningisclosinginalready，nooneremarkswhetheryourunalittlecunningornot；soyoushouldsticktothosecraftyhoundswhokeepedgingawaytotheright，andnotfollowaprodigallikeyoungBrooke，whoselegsaretwiceaslongasyoursandofcast-
iron，whollyindifferenttooneortwomilesmoreorless。
However，theystruggleafterhim，sobbingandplungingalong，TomandEastprettyclose，andTadpole，whosebigheadbeginstopullhimdown，somethirtyyardsbehind。
Nowcomesabrook，withstiffclaybanks，fromwhichtheycanhardlydragtheirlegs，andtheyhearfaintcriesforhelpfromthewretchedTadpole，whohasfairlystuckfast。Buttheyhavetoolittlerunleftinthemselvestopullupfortheirownbrothers。Threefieldsmore，andanothercheck，andthen“Forward“calledawaytotheextremeright。
Thetwoboys’soulsdiewithinthem；theycanneverdoit。
YoungBrookethinkssotoo，andsayskindly，“You’llcrossalaneafternextfield；keepdownit，andyou’llhittheDunchurchroadbelowtheCock，“andthensteamsawayfortherunin，inwhichhe’ssuretobefirst，asifhewerejuststarting。
Theystruggleonacrossthenextfield，the“forwards“gettingfainterandfainter，andthenceasing。Thewholehuntisoutofear-shot，andallhopeofcominginisover。
“Hangitall！“brokeoutEast，assoonashehadgotwindenough，pullingoffhishatandmoppingathisface，allspatteredwithdirtandlinedwithsweat，fromwhichwentupathicksteamintothestill，coldair。“Itoldyouhowitwouldbe。WhatathickIwastocome！Hereweare，deadbeat，andyetIknowwe’reclosetotherunin，ifweknewthecountry。“
“Well，“saidTom，moppingaway，andgulpingdownhisdisappointment，“itcan’tbehelped。Wedidourbestanyhow。
Hadn’twebetterfindthislane，andgodownit，asyoungBrooketoldus？“
“Isupposeso——nothingelseforit，“gruntedEast。“IfeverI
gooutlastdayagain。“Growl，growl，growl。
Sotheytriedbackslowlyandsorrowfully，andfoundthelane，andwentlimpingdownit，plashinginthecoldpuddlyruts，andbeginningtofeelhowtherunhadtakenitoutofthem。Theeveningclosedinfast，andcloudedover，dark，cold，anddreary。
“Isay，itmustbelocking-up，Ishouldthink，“remarkedEast，breakingthesilence——“it’ssodark。“
“Whatifwe’relate？“saidTom。
“Notea，andsentuptotheDoctor，“answeredEast。
Thethoughtdidn’taddtotheircheerfulness。Presentlyafainthalloowasheardfromanadjoiningfield。Theyanswereditandstopped，hopingforsomecompetentrustictoguidethem，whenoveragatesometwentyyardsaheadcrawledthewretchedTadpole，inastateofcollapse。Hehadlostashoeinthebrook，andhadbeengropingafterituptohiselbowsinthestiff，wetclay，andamoremiserablecreatureintheshapeofboyseldomhasbeenseen。
Thesightofhim，notwithstanding，cheeredthem，forhewassomedegreesmorewretchedthanthey。Theyalsocheeredhim，ashewasnolongerunderthedreadofpassinghisnightaloneinthefields。Andso，inbetterheart，thethreeplashedpainfullydownthenever-endinglane。Atlastitwidened，justasutterdarknesssetin，andtheycameoutonaturnpikeroad，andtherepaused，bewildered，fortheyhadlostallbearings，andknewnotwhethertoturntotherightorleft。
Luckilyforthemtheyhadnottodecide，forlumberingalongtheroad，withonelamplightedandtwospavinedhorsesintheshafts，cameaheavycoach，whichafteramoment’ssuspensetheyrecognizedastheOxfordcoach，theredoubtablePigandWhistle。
Itlumberedslowlyup，andtheboys，musteringtheirlastrun，caughtitasitpassed，andbeganclamberingupbehind，inwhichexploitEastmissedhisfootingandfellflatonhisnosealongtheroad。Thentheothershailedtheoldscarecrowofacoachman，whopulledupandagreedtotaketheminforashilling；sotheretheysatonthebackseat，drubbingwiththeirheels，andtheirteethchatteringwithcold，andjoggedintoRugbysomefortyminutesafterlocking-up。
