We descend the hill homewards, leaving
puss to her doom, whatever it may be. For these runs sometimes had a
fatal termination. In the school serial is told the story of a
magnificent day, of which, however, the runners did not witness the end,
for "time was drawing late, and we were far from the station, so had to
leave the hounds under the charge of the huntsman alone, and as the hare
was now exhausted, they soon killed her. We were on the scent for over
two hours, and ran about twelve miles." These days took place two or
three times a week; for good practical reasons the "field" was restricted
in numbers.
After the short and sharp battle with the scarlet fever narrated above,
the term went on very peacefully, but with a growing expectation that
this would not be the last one in Wales. News from Uppingham of the
unpreparedness of the place to receive us left little room for doubt, but
the question was not decided (at least, officially) even at the date of
the break-up. The prospect of a fresh period of makeshift life was not a
welcome one; but the worst had been faced by this time, and found, after
all, not hard to deal with.
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