The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 139: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KING 6F THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN ? 133 _ Every spare moment the small boys bad was occupied in tearing up old newspapers, exercises, and other old papers into “scent” for the hare, on this occasion personated by our friend Lascelles, who was a splendid runner, “Then I will, He can run nicht mooch good.” Egerton and one or two others laughed rather at this. They knew what sort of a runner Lascelles was, much better than Pro- keeping his wind any number of miles. | jt would be a “twister,” as Mar- gham -expressed himself, especially as the hare had decided to take the race- course, and then get down into the village of Stratford, where there would be plenty of work for them after their three mile chase over the downs, in the shape of meadows, plentifully crossed by wide dykes and artificial water- courses. _ Four o’clock came, and the chalk- pits were thronged with boys. Professor Moeritz, who saw the con- course from the garden of the college, imagined that another fight was about to take place, and started with the landable intention of putting a stop to it. After toiling up a steep road for a mile or more, the worthy German came upon the group just in time to see the hare buckle a bag of the paper scraps over his shoulder, and start at a long, slinging trot across a stubble field, towards the high, furze-covered downs we have before spoken of, while Frank Egerton and the Earl of Pembridge consulted their watches, and restrained some of the younger hounds, who wished to be off at once. “You'll have quite enough running before you get back,” said the King of fessor Moeritz did. However, after some other chat, Frank announced that time was up, and the whole party started across the field. Some of the younger ones darted ahead at once and outstripped the more experienced runners, who knew that the pace had to be maintained for some miles, A heavy breathing told Frank that the German professor was keeping close to his heels, _ At the spot where Lascelles had vanished from their sight they found the scent thinly scattered upon the eround; and followed it right up the side of the steep hill till they we fairly among the furze bushes, and the keen pure air of the hills whist shrilly about their ears. | Suddenly, Freddy Webber, who managed to keep up very well, cons} ing that his legs were shorter and body fatter than any of the others, up a shout of triumph. His keen eyes had discerned the figure of the flying hare, about a mile-and-a~ half a-head, pegging along at quite as good a pace as when he started. “ Forward ! forward !” shouted Eger- ton, and the whole pack quickened pace as they dashed along the old Roman road, which ran in a straight line for miles. the School. The hare heard the cry, and turning “Bah!” exclaimed Webber, “It is | aside, leaped over a wattle fence with nothing.” a ditch on either side. “You won't be in at the finish of Some of the youths attempted to cut the run, Freddy.” him off by taking a diagonal course, but they made a great mistake in their calculations, and were seen no more during the chase. — The fact is, the hare, after crossing “Wont! Just you wait and see.” “Wat is dis?” inquired Professor Moeritz, coming up at the moment. * You are not at ze box.” ‘ -and- - ‘Won’t you | a turnip-field on his right, doubled ‘ hs + i ack is hounds omy back, crossed the Roman road again ” 6 Who is hare?” and made off across the fallows for # Lascelles.” Stratford, which village he reached COMM A) DOO/KS.