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。