282 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



ing to a man ever got, but the Master was perfectly justi- 

 fied. There were probably a dozen more " threshing 

 scoundrels " who were getting the lecture second-hand. 

 A story is told of an M.F.H. who used to ask his second 

 whipper-in to ride up close to some rider who had offender 1 

 against this " holy law," whereupon the Master would give 

 the whipper-in a stiff scolding for having done what the 

 rider could not then fail to see he had done himself. 

 When a man rides near hounds he runs them " off their 

 noses." They are looking behind to keep out of his way. 



The value of hounds in the eyes of the Master and hunts- 

 man cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. The loss of 

 a hound in this way is most discouraging to a Master who, 

 as is often the case, owns the hounds and feeds and cares 

 for them at his own expense. The expenses of a first-class 

 hunt establishment in England amount to something like 

 two thousand dollars a hunt week.* Picture, then, the 

 feelings of an M.F.H. who sees a thoughtless, heedless 

 rider spoiling sport. Is it any wonder he loses patience 

 and his temper as well ? The one great drawback to hunt- 

 ing, the one thing above all others that gives the Master 

 annoyance, is the jealous riding man. Men who are out 

 to cut down the field are the principal offenders in this re- 

 spect. 



Don't ride up to the huntsman or whippers-in on the 

 way to covert unless you are asked. Keep away. 



Don't call the whipper-in a whip. It is as bad as to 

 call Mr. Soper Soap. 



* The Master of the Grafton hounds receives in subscriptions ^8000, and has to 

 add to this sum out of his own pocket ^3000 annually to make up the deficit. 



