134 THE SPORT OF KINGS 



man is bustled about, perhaps his horse's temper 

 gets upset, and in a few fields he falls, with the 

 result that, when hounds check, the huntsman is 

 not quite in the place that he ought to be in. 

 Straightway the huntsman is voted slow, and the 

 Master a duffer for buying such horses, and that 

 by the very men who have caused the mischief. 

 It should be unnecessary to point out that when 

 men ride through a gate, and there is any likeli- 

 hood of the huntsman — or, for the matter of that, 

 any one else — wanting to jump the fence which 

 runs at right angles, they should pull well out 

 into the field, and that those who prefer to ride 

 through gates and gaps, or to a point, should pull 

 to the outside of those who are riding to hounds, 

 and not gallop against them or between them and 

 the fence they wish to jump. 



That good sportsman, " Borderer," amongst 

 the many things which he points out for the 

 avoidance of hunting men, says, " Don't crab 

 your own country, Master, huntsman, or hounds." 

 Seasonable advice this, for it is a mistake which 

 many good fellows make, and which is very trying 

 to the Master when it is brought to his notice, 

 which, sooner or later, is bound to be the case. 

 If you come to look at the facts you will see that 

 in every walk of life the genius is an exception, 

 and that in every walk of life, from statesmanship 

 to skittle-playing, there are plenty of capable men, 

 who, whilst not pretending to genius, can look 

 upon their lives as successful ones in the sphere of 

 action which they have chosen for themselves ; and 

 before you begin to lavish your critical remarks on 

 the action of your Master or huntsman, it is just 

 as well to bear in mind that whilst in all proba- 



