161 



CHAP. VI. 



Confidential Inquiry. — Conduct in the Field. — Harriers and 

 Mr. Mullins. — Differences between Fox and Hare-hunting. — 

 An Interlude. 



" I cannot/^ said my friend^ as we sat tete-{\-tete 

 during the evening, "understand the events of 

 this morning, so we must chat them over, though 

 I anticipate the result -will not be very flattering 

 to me. How was it that 1, on the best horse in my 

 stable, came really to a stand-still ; while you, on 

 the one we consider the worst, stopped him while 

 he seemed at the time comparatively fresh; for, 

 take it altogether, candour must allow you rode the 

 grey closer to the hounds than I did the bay.^^ 



" Oh, my fair cousin, we must not say so,^^ said 

 I, laughing ; '' but, to be serious, I allow it was 

 so, and I will explain all this. I found your grey, 

 thanks to your head-man^s good judgment, had 

 become perfect as a fencer : this, good manage- 

 ment can make most horses; but unfortunately, 

 though we can much improve stamina, we cannot 

 make it -really good if nature has made it the 

 reverse. I ahvays suspected the ^gallant grey^ in 

 this particular, so I had nothing to trust to Imt 

 making my way wdth him as short as possible, 



M 



