22 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



timber to be knocked down, but the little chestnut 

 was an extraordinary jumper, and generally carried 

 her heavy burden safely over. The butcher had 

 always a genial smile and a few cheery words to 

 say, so that he was popular with every one in the 

 hunting field. I shall ever feel grateful to him, as, 

 I beUeve, knowing that I was keen and had not 

 much money, he let his mare out to me at a ridi- 

 culously low price. It was from him I also bought 

 my little mare. 



The following season has left no very certain 

 impression on my memory, though I know we had 

 some excellent sport. Hunting was stopped for 

 several weeks after Christmas by frost and snow. 

 One Tuesday the snow lay thick over the country, 

 but the farmers had no difficulty in getting to Melton 

 market in the morning. At midday, however, a 

 gale of wind sprang up, and in two hours' time the 

 drifts in the roads were level with the top of the 

 hedges, so that those who had delayed their depart- 

 ure from market until late in the afternoon were 

 forced to spend the night at Melton. 



I believe that it was the October of this season 

 that an incident occurred which perhaps Firr would 

 not feel grateful to me for recalling. This great 

 huntsman was very particular about having his 

 pack free from riot of all kinds, and it was very 

 seldom you ever saw one of his charges transgressing ; 

 but in this instance they forgot themselves, and Firr 

 had to put up with much chaff afterwards when he 

 met a brother of the horn. 



Cub-hunting had not long commenced, and the 

 young hounds had only been entered to their legiti- 

 mate quarry a few times. I believe John o' Gaunt 



