184 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



"Will you have your tea brought up or will you take it in 

 the breakfast room? The cab has been ordered for you at 

 five-thirty, sir." 



What a relief that the lily pond was only a dream and that 

 "it was surely going to clear." The bill was too much by a 

 couple of shillings. Well, no matter. The chambermaid, boots 

 and hall porter received a double fee, for it's "surely going to 

 clear," and we must go a-hunting to-day. 



"Euston Station," shouted the hall porter to cabby and, 

 "look sharp to catch the six train for Leighton." 



The fog seemed thicker and blacker than ever, but only 

 think if it should be clear at Leighton and we not there. 



Arriving at Leighton, I found the Red Lion Inn, a hostelry 

 "for sportsmen designed." Madam Host was as full of go for 

 the occasion as a brass band. The breakfast was splendid and 

 although the fog had not lifted there were indications that it 

 was trying to do so. 



Many had come from London with their horses, a dozen or 

 more, which were brought along by the same train. These 

 especially designed cars for hunters, which are put on all the 

 regular trains the day of any meet with any pack of hounds 

 within twenty-five or thirty miles of London, are the best that 

 could be contrived for the purpose. They are set on the switch 

 at the station and the groom in charge looks after the horses 

 until they are wanted to ride to the meet, or perhaps they are 

 sent on at once and the rider follows in a public conveyance. 

 The train from the north brought in as many more riders and 

 hunters, and soon after breakfast, men and women in riding cos- 

 tume were all about the Red Lion Inn. Riders from a dis- 

 tance, say twelve to twenty miles, were riding up singly and 

 in pairs so as to give their mounts a taste before going on to the 

 meet. 



The Landlady said she knew I was from America. She 

 said she had a brother there. Although I had not had the 



