The TetGott Hunt CJdeek. 



something within me foretells failure. I have not 

 as yet been successful in my attempts to lead the 

 " field." When a small boy I went well ; why can- 

 not I do so now? I sit down and recall to mind my 

 early, boyish experiences of hunting before the first 

 real sorrow of my life came upon me. 



When about seven years old, I was committed to 

 the charge of a trusty old servant, who took me to 

 *' see the meet " at a neighbouring squire's place. 

 But I made up my mind that I would see a little 

 more of the fun than the mere *' meet." I would 

 follow on with the rest of the field. How well I 

 remember this my first day with hounds ! It comes 

 back to my mind as if it were yesterday. I see 

 before m.e now the important huntsman with his 

 loving and highly-prized pack of '* beauties," and 

 the distinguished members of the hunt on their 

 noble horses. To be one of such a brilliant " field " 

 was indeed an honour ! But then came the doubt, 

 could I be accounted "one of them," so long as I 

 remained attached by a leading rein to a fat coach- 

 man on a carriage horse ? No. I was merely an 

 appendage. That my father's son, a man of my 

 age, should be thus led about like an organ grinder's 

 monkey, was not to be endured. So when old 

 coachee was having a tell with a friend, and his 

 head turned away from me, I reached forward, un- 

 buckled the rein from my pony's bit, and went off 



