MR GERALD HARDY 65 



up and down hill like a ball of muscle. Another 

 very nice bitch of this entry, but showing badly 

 owing to coat troubles, was Dabchick, a daughter 

 of Warrener; and Mr Hardy thought she might in 

 time reverse the order of merit, for her bone and 

 feet are exceptionally good. 



These were the pick of a kennel of beautiful 

 bitches which looked like perpetuating the fame of 

 the Meynell for many years to come. 



The fates were not kind to Mr Hardy during 

 season 1910-11, for he was laid up more than once, 

 resulting from severe falls, and this caused him to 

 seek the co-operation of a joint-master, to help in 

 the arduous duties of the field. Sir William Bass, 

 the son of Mr Hamer Bass, M.P., who held the 

 Meynell mastership from 1888 to 1898, was fortun- 

 ately willing to take office, relieving Mr Hardy of 

 the strain and at the same time insuring more 

 leisure to carry on the successful breeding of the 

 hounds. 



After staying the night at Foston Hall near 

 Derby, with Mr Hardy, during October 1910, it was 

 a great pleasure to see hounds next morning in 

 the field ; a six o'clock reunion at the New Inn 

 on four cross roads. Gillson had a mixed pack 

 out of thirty-three and a half couples, to open the 

 cub-hunting season in Lady Burton's coverts. The 

 pack for the day included most of the kennel acquaint- 

 ances of the previous afternoon, and old Whynot, 

 " the king of the pack," easy to find by his dis- 

 tinguished appearance. Mr Gerald Hardy was in 

 command, riding a dark brown bang-tailed horse, 

 and Gillson bestrode a handy, lengthy bay mare, 

 with her mane on, and a long tail. 



On certain days the huntsman has three horses 

 at his disposal, for though the Meynell country is 



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