HUNTING THE FOX 111 



offence against the laws of Fox-hunting to be 

 late for the Meet, or to speculate on the covert 

 that the Master is likely to draw and to wait 

 there for him to come. After Christmas, when 

 Foxes are wilder than earlier in the season, the 

 sound of a voice, the tread of a horse, or the 

 slamming of a gate may very likely frighten the 

 good Fox away before the Hounds come, and 

 so the day's sport is spoilt. Coverts should also 

 be avoided on the way to the Meet for the same 

 reason. If by an unavoidable accident you cannot 

 arrive punctually at the Meet, the least likely way 

 of spoiling other people's pleasure is never to wait 

 near a covert, but to ride the roads until you can 

 join the Hunt. The Master can help very materi- 

 ally in the matter of his Field being punctual at the 

 Meet if he always moves off precisely at the same 

 moment every day. It is a good rule to advertise 

 the Meet at 10.45 until the 1st of March, and 

 move off without fail on the very stroke of eleven. 

 This hour is easier to fix with precision than 11.15. 

 A Master whose own punctuality is not above 

 suspicion, and who, after he has arrived, dawdles 

 about on foot and moves off at " any old time," 

 does not deserve to have a punctual Field. 



The really keen Fox-hunter, who is determined 

 to get a start, will not be very far behind the 

 Hounds on the way to covert. If a Fox jumps 

 out of a hedge or crosses the road on the way to 



