CAPTAIN WARNER 127 



their names. The supper at Coventry House after 

 the event was a very cheery affair, and to the best 

 of my behef the competitors continued to wear the 

 " nighties " they sported in the race. 



February was about the worst month of the 

 season, and even that had many bright spots. 



On 7th March the Quorn had a very merry gallop 

 from Scraptoft Gorse, and killed their fox in the 

 stableyard at Lowesby — twenty-eight minutes at 

 racing pace. The same pack met on the following 

 Friday at Brooksby, to bid a sort of farewell to that 

 good sportsman, Mr. Ernest Chaplin. The expenses 

 of a very large family had made it necessary for 

 him to cut down his stud, which from a dozen had 

 been reduced to one. He was going extraordinary 

 well when I commenced hunting, but I think even 

 then he had only a couple of horses in the stable, 

 and the responsibiUties of paternity were becoming 

 increasingly heavy. No man enjoyed a hunt more, 

 and he could discuss every detail of a run with his 

 after-dinner smoke. Like the majority of Quornites 

 in those days, he was a great admirer of the hunts- 

 man, and when you dined at Brooksby the usual 

 toast was " Tom Firr and fox-hunting." 



Another good sportsman now reigns there and, as 

 every one knows. Lord Beatty has made it his home. 



The Quorn had a great run from the Prince of 

 Wales' covert at Baggrave on 21st March — a great 

 run, even though it did not finish with blood. The 

 actual finish was close to Hallaton, which is a nine- 

 mile point ; but I am very nearly certain that we 

 changed foxes in Tomblin's Spinney — a tiny place 

 on the side of the hill between Billesdon and Lord 

 Morton's. 



