38 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



myself, having ascertained the way to Bell Hill, trudged 

 on a little in advance of the cavalcade, and arrived at the 

 hill a good ten minutes before the deer cart. 



There were perhaps a score of foot-people — mostly 

 truant schoolboys — besides ourselves, waiting to see 

 the deer turned down ; and a very imposing procession 

 made that newly painted green stag cart with the 

 M.S.H. riding a little in advance, and a " baker's dozen " 

 or so horsemen and horsewomen bringing up the rear of 

 the vehicle. Indeed, viewed from a distance, it would 

 have been easy to imagine that some royal personage 

 was travelling in semi -state along that winding, country 

 highway. At length the procession surmounts the 

 steep hill, the van is backed through a muddy gateway, 

 the double doors of the same are thrown open, and out 

 springs a heavy -looking stag, who, having bestowed a 

 benign and friendly glance upon his would-be pursuers, 

 begins to nibble at the tender young shoots of a thorn- 

 bush within a yard of the Master, towards whom he 

 appears to entertain a great affection ; for, notwithstand- 

 ing that that gentleman flicks him repeatedly with the 

 thong of his whip, the friendly creature refuses to budge. 

 This exhibition of good feeling between the Master and 

 the stag seems to appeal to the little crowd of errant 

 Board School children, one of whom, a rosy-cheeked 

 curly-headed youngster, remarks vociferously to a 

 ruf US-haired chum, who has just appeared on the 

 scene, " Lor', Ginger, come and have a squint at 

 this yer' ode deer. He do look just loike 'Oyster 



