94 Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



Another thorn in the side of the Master will be 

 the irresponsible and ill-informed local scribe. He 

 will most usually get reports of the hunts that take 

 place incorrigibly wrong, and it is too late when the 

 paper is picked up in the library on Saturday night 

 to swear at the "cursed penny-a-liner." The 

 *' penny-a-liner," like the pianist, " is doing his 

 best," and does not deserve to be shot, even by 

 merely verbal bullets. He would be only too glad 

 to know that the Master or the Hon. Secretary 

 would give him the information if he were to come 

 to headquarters in quest of it. Let him be 

 encouraged to do so. Answer his inquiries if he is 

 present after a hunt, or his letter if he writes for 

 particulars. Jot down the facts, and leave him to 

 lick them into shape if you are not a " man of 

 letters " yourself. If he calls to collect the informa- 

 tion, offer him a bite or a sup or a smoke, as the 

 case may be, and give him the facts. In this way 

 you will escape being called '* a huntsman bold " 

 or a '' jovial Master," and will be spared seeing 

 your hounds described as *' dogs " or the Otter as 

 " poor puss " or a " felon." You will also be able 

 to prevent the circulation of those " Otter stories " 

 which sometimes find their way into the columns 

 of the London " yellow Press " and do no possible 

 good to Otter-hunting. It almost seems as though 

 some of the minor fry of journalism have deter- 



