244 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



than he did when he had an impatient Quorn field 

 behind him, he loved to hunt a fox as carefully 

 and patiently as any man when this was possible. 

 Closely connected with Tom Firr is that keenest 

 of keen fox-hunters, Colonel Anstruther Thomson, 

 to whom Firr was second whipper-in in the Pytchley 

 country, and on whose recommendation he was 

 appointed huntsman to the North Warwickshire 

 Hunt, where he first made his name. 



It was during Mr Sant's mastership of the North 

 Warwickshire that a certain M.F.H. of a neigh- 

 bouring country had an unenviable ex^Derience. 

 He was on a visit to a big house in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and being very anxious to see Mr 

 Sant's hounds, he asked his host if he would 

 lend him a mount for a morning's cub -hunting. 

 This was easily arranged, and one of the sons 

 of the house was told off to act as his guide to 

 the meet on the following morning. 



With the punctuality born of long habit, the 

 M.F.H. timed the pace so that the fixture should 

 be reached by six o'clock, and great was his dis- 

 appointment to see nothing of the hounds. His 

 young companion, when appealed to, said from 

 which quarter they might be expected to arrive, 

 and there was nothing for it but to wait. At last 

 misgiving seized the Master, and he inquired if his 

 guide was quite sure of his facts. " Was the meet 

 at the cross-roads ? " he inquired, "or at the farm 

 yonder ? " The youth did not know. " Haven't 

 you been here before, then?" "I don't think I 



