THE HUNTSMAN'S POINT OF VIEW 201 



what is happening, blows his horn. I do not think 

 that the huntsman can be blamed if he fails to hear his 

 Master's horn, but then a large proportion of the field 

 has heard the Master's horn. The result is, that, if 

 hounds hit off the line of their fox without much 

 delay, the Master and those of his followers, who 

 have misplaced their confidence in him, are left 

 behind to flounder along with the forlorn hope of 

 seeing hounds in the far distance. 



Then follow the trials of the huntsman. He has 

 hunted and killed his fox in spite of the interference of 

 the Master, who will speak to him subsequently in lurid 

 language. But the huntsman takes no notice of the 

 lurid language, for he knows that the more a man barks 

 the less likely will he be to bite. Unwittingly, however, 

 he has offended the members of the Hunt, who were left 

 behind with the Master, and he will be accused of stealing 

 away with his fox without giving due notice to the 

 field. Let us consider for a moment the Master, who, 



" Making desperate play through some fine muddy lanes, 

 And by nicking and skirting got in for his pains." 



He does not pretend to be a first-flight man. Often 

 he has not the nerve to jump even a sheep-hurdle. But 

 he holds a high social position in the county, and, 

 though he may be an indifferent horseman, is a good 

 sportsman. His ambition is to give his neighbours the 

 best sport which it is within his power to give them. 

 The farmers respect him and accordingly preserve 

 foxes for him. He has a pleasant word for everybody 

 at covert-side. He never utters a rebuke unless he has 



