304 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



and walks. Lest any of the country members perhaps hesi- 

 tate to enter the house, either the Master himself, or a friend 

 or guest assigned to the duty, goes about among them, mak- 

 ing hospitably sure that no shy stranger goes away unbidden. 

 Mrs. Whirler drives up with her coach and four, loaded to 



its utmost capacity with visiting friends. Mr. H comes 



surging around the curve of the drive with a six-in-hand 

 to his old mail-coach, at the same time that a sporty young 

 man lands a smart tandem across the green. It is all a 

 most engaging medley four-in-hands and farm-waggons, 

 tandems and butchers' carts, spider phaetons and buck- 

 boards, friends, neighbours, tenant-farmers, visitors, villagers, 

 and a dozen families or more, with their guests, who have 

 moved into the valley for the hunting season. 



Having welcomed the guests who have come to the 

 house, the Master, some little time before eleven, hurries out 

 for a word with any who are unable or disinclined to 

 leave their mounts or carriages. The first one to greet him 

 is Daisy Mulford, mounted on her half-bred pony. Miss 

 Daisy lives some seven miles away. 



" Oh, Miss Daisy," says the Master, affably, " pleased 

 to see you out to-day ! How are your father and mother? 

 Your old pony looks keen as ever." 



Daisy, who has been going over and over again in her 

 mind just how she shall say something she has meant to 

 say, summons up her courage, as the Master is about to 

 pass on, and ventures a query. 



" When are you going to have a meet at our farm ? " she 

 asks. 



" Well, I hardly know. Are there any foxes down 

 there ? We have had some capital runs from your place." 



