wide of the true cause that detained him, which was no other than
this: the commodore and his crew had, by dint of turning, almost
weathered the parson's house that stood to windward of the church,
when the notes of a pack of hounds unluckily reached the ears of
the two hunters which Trunnion and the lieutenant bestrode. These
fleet animals no sooner heard the enlivening sound, than, eager for
the chase, they sprang away all of a sudden, and strained every
nerve to partake of the sport, flew across the fields with incredible
speed, overleaped hedges and ditches, and everything in their way,
without the least regard to their unfortunate riders. The lieutenant,
whose steed had got the heels of the other, finding it would be
great folly and presumption in him to pretend to keep the saddle
with his wooden leg, very wisely took the opportunity of throwing
himself off in his passage through a field of rich clover, among
which he lay at his ease; and seeing his captain advancing, at
full gallop, hailed him with the salutation of "What cheer? Ho!"
The commodore, who was in infinite distress, eyeing him askance as
he passed, replied, with a faltering voice, "0, d-- ye!--you are
safe at an anchor. I wish to God I were as fast moored."

Nevertheless, conscious of his disabled heel, he would not venture
to try the experiment which had succeeded so well with Hatchway but
resolved to stick as close as possible to his horse's back, until
Providence should interpose in his behalf. With this view he dropped
his whip, and with his right hand laid fast hold on the pommel,
contracting every muscle in his body to secure himself in the seat,
and grinning most formidably in consequence of this exertion. In
this attitude he was hurried on a considerable way, when all of
a sudden his view was comforted by a five-bar gate that appeared
before him, as he never doubted that there the career of his hunter