THE LIFE OF A HUNTER 71 



bear the long walk home that I noticed 

 many of my associates in the field were 

 made to undergo ; nothing to me was such 

 a weary and dispiriting job as to trail slowly 

 homewards in the cold frosty air of a winter 

 evening, on an empty belly, with stiffening 

 limbs. I was always ready to second my 

 master's inclination to bring me home sharp. 

 Instead of coming in with a dejected, staring 

 coat, I arrived with a warm glow upon me, 

 and impatient to get at my feed. As to the 

 exercise a hunter requires in the season, if 

 his turn comes as often as mine used to do, 

 generally twice a week, he will not need 

 more than a walk for half an hour the day 

 after hunting, and on the other two week- 

 days two hours' trotting exercise. 



When I went to the stud I was first 



