i6o THE HUNTING FIELD 



turning his horse as if he was absolutely leaving, when, 

 as luck would have it, the hounds invariably turned 

 the same way, and Peter was in for it again. The 

 story runs that Peter made nine starts before he got 

 to his destination. 



Stolen pleasures are said to be the sweetest, and 

 we are by no means sure that a stolen hunt is not 

 as good as any. That single day keeps the latent 

 embers alive, ready to burst into fire under more 

 favourable circumstances. 



Not that Peter's passion was much pent up, for 

 what with his farm and his inn, he had abundant 

 excuses for riding in the direction the hounds had 

 to meet. Some people ride out in the afternoon, to 

 take their chance of falling in with them, but these 

 are the mere feather-bed coffee-housers of hunting ; 

 Peter's business always seemed to march with the 

 hounds. Men of business in those days were shyer 

 of hunting and daylight amusements than they are 

 now. Hunting used to be thought incompatible with 

 sober tradesmanlike occupations. 



That is quite a mistaken idea, however ; moderately 

 pursued, we are satisfied that hunting is the finest 

 preparative for business that ever was adopted. 



It is said that, whenever Liston, the great surgeon, 

 had a difficult operation to perform, he used to brace 

 his nerves by a gallop with harriers on the Pentland 

 Hills ; and all London literary men will acknowledge 

 the refreshing obligations derived from pure air, strong 

 exercise, and country scenery. There are some trades, 

 to be sure, that hunting agrees with better than others ; 

 an innkeeper's, perhaps, at the head of the list. Of 

 course a great deal depends upon the man, but, as 

 a general rule, a good sportsman is always welcome 

 whatever he is. 



Peter's was a happy life — money rolled up, and 

 children did the same, but the means of maintenance 

 kept pace with the increase. He soon gave up hunt- 



