10 THE HUNTING FIELD 



alone ; but with such a kettle offish as we have got at " Wool's " 

 you should take every precaution to have the room cool at 

 starting, and to try to keep it so. A little wood fire looks 

 lively, and soon dies out ; but if it has the impudence to live, a 

 pan of wet sand soon knocks the \'ital spark out of it. 



But we have it not in our hearts to keep our poor Master in 

 this atmosphere any longer. Let us suppose the agony of 

 dinner past. Let us suppose that all has gone on smoothly and 

 well — no soup dribbled down any one's back, no poisonous lamp 

 expired, no tipsy cake alighted on any one's head, no squashed 

 blanc-mange, no pyramid of jelly toppling to its fall — nothing 

 gone wrong, except the white jug of hot water at the side-board 

 end upset on the third plunging of the forks and spoons, making 

 a map of Italy on the un-Turkey-carpeted part of the floor. 

 The Miss Wools have each plied a merry tongue, though, 

 between ourselves, it is not exactly the way to a foxhunter's 

 heart to interrupt him during his dinner ; but of that more 

 anon. Mrs. Wool has given the silent, significant hint — a hint 

 more potent than the strongest lunged sergeant ever bellowed 

 on parade — gloves, flowers, bags, handkerchiefs, fans, have been 

 gathered together, or brought up from their respective collieries 

 below, and our Master gladly rushes to open the door to let the 

 well-bustled party pass. 



Each man stands, and puffs and blows like a stranded 

 grampus. 



It is now Wool's turn to take our Master through his hands. 

 One would think that Wool was Monsieur Chabot in disguise, 

 for the first thing he says as he clutches his glass and decanter, 

 preparatory to moving his quarters to the top of the table is, 

 " W^ould you like a few more coals, Mr. Rattlecover ? " We 

 need not add that Mr. Rattlecover declines, observing that, 

 with Mr. Cottonwool's permission, he will change his seat away 

 from the fire, when, like many wise men who know everything 



