Lady Lillycraft had likewise determined to witness the sport.  She was dressed in her broad white beaver, tied under the chin, and a riding-habit of the last century.  She rode her sleek, ambling pony, whose motion was as easy as a rocking-chair; and was gallantly escorted by the general, who looked not unlike one of the doughty heroes in the old prints of the battle of Blenheim.  The parson, likewise, accompanied her on the other side; for this was a learned amusement in which he took great interest; and, indeed, had given much counsel, from his knowledge of old customs.

At length everything was arranged, and off we set from the Hall.  The exercise on horseback puts one in fine spirits; and the scene was gay and animating.  The young men of the family accompanied Miss Templeton.  She sat lightly and gracefully in her saddle, her plumes dancing and waving in the air; and the group had a charming effect as they appeared and disappeared among the trees, cantering along with the bounding animation of youth.  The squire and Master Simon rode together, accompanied by old Christy mounted on Pepper.  The latter bore the hawk on his fist, as he insisted the bird was most accustomed to him.  There was a rabble rout on foot, composed of retainers from the Hall, and some idlers from the village, with two or three spaniels for the purpose of starting the game.

A kind of corps de reserve came on quietly in the rear, composed of Lady Lillycraft, General Harbottle, the parson, and a fat footman.  Her ladyship ambled gently along on her pony, while the general, mounted on a tall hunter, looked down upon her with an air of the most protecting gallantry.

For my part, being no sportsman, I kept with this last party, or rather lagged behind, that I might take in the whole picture; and the parson occasionally slackened his pace and jogged on in company with me.

The sport led us at some distance from the Hall, in a soft meadow reeking with the moist verdure of spring.  A little river ran through it, bordered by willows, which had put forth their tender early foliage.  The sportsmen were in quest of herons, which were said to keep about this stream.

There was some disputing already among the leaders of the sport.  The squire, Master Simon, and old Christy, came every now and then to a pause, to consult together, like the field officers in an army; and I saw, by certain motions of the head, that Christy was as positive as any old, wrong-headed German commander.

[Illustration:  The Consultation in the Field]

As we were prancing up this quiet meadow every sound we made was answered by a distinct echo from the sunny wall of an old building that lay on the opposite margin of the stream; and I paused to listen to the “spirit of a sound,” which seems to love such quiet and beautiful places.  The parson informed me that this was the ruin of an ancient grange, and was supposed by the country people to be haunted by a dobbie, a