314 THE HUNTING FIELD 



hunting," adds Codshead, bumping himself in the 

 saddle. 



" Fine healthy amusement," observes our Master. 



" You don't know of a horse that will suit one, do 

 you ? " asks Codshead (hurrah ! we knew it would 

 come). 



" Not at present," replies our Master, with a smile, 

 having had an inward wager himself as to whether 

 Codshead would ask the question or not. 



There are many Codsheads in the world many 

 men who fancy they would like hunting amazingly 

 when they can't get it, and who never trouble it when 

 it is to be had. Scarlet coats have a vast of lies to 

 answer for. The Colonel, like his horse, has not the 

 slightest natural inclination for hunting indeed, it is 

 rather a punishment to him than otherwise he hunts 

 for the sake of the society and the good dinners it 

 procures him. After that, we need scarcely say the 

 Colonel is a bachelor. Now, a married colonel, and 

 a bachelor colonel, though born in the same year 

 perhaps, are very different aged people in female 

 estimation ; and our Colonel albeit, but a yeomanry 

 one ranks rather as one of those pretty boyish 

 colonels peculiar to the " Guards," than one of the 

 hobbling, frosty-pated, wound-scarred old cocks of 

 the Peninsula or Waterloo. 



A woman's foxhunter and a man's foxhunter are 

 very different things. If a man in a red coat is 

 always at a woman's beck and call always ready 

 with something to say (a feat, by the way, not in 

 the accomplishment of all) always ready to dance 

 attendance at their carriage sides when they go to see 

 the hounds throw off always careless of the hounds 

 for the sake of their company they think him a most 

 agreeable, engaging, captivating man just what a 

 foxhunter ought to be, and when the "pasteboards" 

 go out such a man is sure to be remembered. 



The man's foxhunter is one who adores the ladies, 



