148 THE AXGLER AX!) HUXTSMAX 



tentious argument with the umpires over the rules, and fre- 

 quently we hear of an umpire being run off the field, the 

 players of one side or the other having rebelled against his 

 decision and refused to abide by it. Not so in the rules of 

 fox hunting. Rules in this game are but a matter of form, 

 for all obey the law a law born and bred in the natural born 

 fox hunter, a law embodying the essence of true sportsman- 

 ship, without which there could be no democracy for man, 

 and without that there could be no government for, by, and 

 of the people. Hence this spirit of sportsmanship per- 

 meates the very structure of our great Nation. Without it 

 we could not be a free people. A King or a Kaiser would 

 rule over us and we would be but mere slaves. 



The Master of Hounds at length gave the signal that 

 opened the chase. Each hunter unleashed his eager dogs, 

 and, with glad cries, that rang out shrill and clear on the 

 frosty morning air, the entire pack bounded off together in 

 search of the spoor of the fox. 



A thirty minutes hunt brought the desired results, 

 " Bugle Boy," announcing in a bell-toned voice the fact that 

 he had found the scent or spoor of the fox. Presently, the 

 balance of the pack, one by one, took up the .trail until they 

 had all found it and were mouthing a happy chorus all to- 

 gether as they disappeared from the view of the hunters over 

 the brow of the MIL* 



Swift horses are needed for this work, and swift horses 

 did these hunters possess. So, with whip and spur gently 

 applied, soon they again came in sight of the chase when 

 they reached the hilltop. 



* The Master of Hounds reined in his charger, hastily 

 took from his satchel that was strapped over one shoulder 

 his field-glass, quickly adjusted it to his optics and scanned 

 all the surrounding country from his point of vantage, try- 

 ing to locate the whereabouts of Br'er Fox. 



He watched the dogs as they noisily sped across the 

 wide valley toward the distant hills, and he surmised that 



