CHAPTER XIII 



A season -witli Sir Tliomas Mostyn, in the Bicester eonntry, with anecdotes of 

 some of the leading sportsmen in the provinces at that day, and a glance at 

 ' liome, sweet liome.' 



The summer having passed away much in the same manner 

 in which summers have since done, and our hero having par- 

 taken of the amusements of London up to a certain period, 

 and of the partridge and pheasant-shooting at the Abbey, in 

 the autumn, he commenced his winter career under very 

 favourable circumstances. He liad a stud of seven hunters, 

 strong, but not deficient in blood, together with a capital hack, 

 bred by his father, by an Arabian sire out of a strong English 

 mare. Moreover, he had himself a naturally strong con- 

 stitution, consequently, excellent health, and, thanks to the 

 liberality of his relations, a fair account at his banker's. 

 With a light heart, then, and well-braced nerves, he followed 

 his horses to the humble town of Bicester, twelve miles from 

 Oxford, on the Buckingham road, where lie found a few sports- 

 men collected together for the same purpose as his own ; 

 namely, to enjoy the pleasures of the chase in a country of 

 which he had had some experience during his residence at the 

 University of Oxford. 



Neither was Frank Raby disappointed in the object now in 

 his view. He obtained an introduction to the master of the 

 pack, a good, honest Welshman, of plain, unaffected manners, 

 but of extremely gentlemanlike deportment, and in every way 

 qualified for the situation he filled. A single man, possessed 

 of £20,000 a year, and with no other lieavy expenses but his 

 hounds, he was able to do the thing with spirit, and witli 

 spirit was it done throughout. He had a full complement of 

 hounds, and a good stable of horses ; and the utmost regu- 

 larity was observed in every part of the establishment. But 

 what most struck our young sportsman, as regarded the 

 establishment, was, the perfect little Welsh colony that was 



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