PETER PIGSKIN 153 



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 lire 

 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 hunting in gaiters. All who have 

 tried it will admit it is a most expensive amusement. He turned 

 out a pair of old Blazington boots, which were very soon 

 accorded the honour of ramming through all the big places first. 



