242 FOX-HUNTING TYPES 



knows better than to have his horse "a bit above 

 hisself," and the animal steps away quietly but 

 springily under him, dropping his head confidingly to 

 the bit. 



His acquaintance, it is hardly necessary to say, is a 

 large one, and he appears to be on terms of friendship 

 with every one he passes, while his attention to the 

 different members of the brigade of Amazons testifies 

 to the gallantry of his disposition. 



No matter the reasons for his appearance in the 

 hunting-field, he is usually a stickler for orthodoxy 

 in the matter of dress, and generally affects the scarlet 

 livery of the chase, though there is never anything in 

 the smallest degree outre in his costume. But we 

 may notice that the scarlet never seems to become 

 of the purple hue so familiar in our own wardrobe, 

 and the strongest sunlight fails to bring out those 

 lines down the glossy hat — like traces of time on 

 beauty's cheek — which tell of struggles with the 

 holding thorn. 



By him the commissariat department is seldom neg- 

 lected ; he is prone to carry at his saddle-bow a huge 

 receptacle for fluids in a hunting-horn case — an objec- 

 tionable form of flask, perhaps, but which has often 

 been forgiven when its generous owner has passed it 

 over for a good pull on a cold day or on a weary road 

 home. 



When the assemblage breaks up into groups at the 

 covert-side our Air-and-Exercise Man is pretty sure to 

 be a central figure in one of the merriest, and the 

 laughter that is heard from that particular group is 

 not seldom provoked by a tale from his repertoire, 



