CHAPTER V I 

 CAPTAIN WARNER 



Season i 886-1887 



I LOOK back on this Mastership as being the 

 period I enjoyed most, although I have had 

 many happy days before and since. 

 Perhaps it was that the joy of youth was then 

 at Its zenith, and to get on the right side of a fence 

 was more important than the chances of a fall. I 

 can remember we had some rattling good gallops 

 during the cub-hunting of that season in spite of 

 summer-like weather. 



On 2nd October the Cottesmore met at a very 

 early hour to rattle up the cubs in Ranksboro Gorse, 

 but for some reason they were not to be found. 

 A litter was supposed to be at Knossington, but 

 only an old fox was discovered and hounds were 

 stopped from him near Pickwell. It was then about 

 12 o'clock, and with a hot sun the chances of doing 

 anything seemed very remote ; but after Mr. Frewen 

 had given the hunt officials refreshment, every one 

 appeared to become more cheerful, and as a litter 

 had been bred in the earth near America Spinney, 

 it was worth going there on the way back to 

 kennels. 



The master was not out, and the decision therefore 

 lay with the huntsman, Neal. What the liquor 



