AMATEURS AND HUNTSMEN 97 



in a fat armchair, a growl at things in general (especially 

 if we are foolish enough to open letters that might very 

 well wait till Sunday afternoon, and then might properly 

 be told off to answer themselves) before we proceed to 

 eat quite as much as is good for us, drink twice as much 

 as we need, and perhaps give our neighbours all round 

 a dressing over of faintest praise while coffee goes round 

 or conversation threatens to flag. The huntsman, luck- 

 less man, has none of these distractions — at least can 

 allow himself none. The puppies are all in, and the 

 best of them are down with distemper. He has to for- 

 sake his meal, to forego his glass and his smoke — to 

 ignore the fatigue that we all recognise so wearily (we 

 who do none of his work during the hot or chilly day;, 

 the fatigue and bone-ache of enervating spring. His 

 welcome home is the news that his loveliest puppy is 

 dead ; his task that the next best must be saved if pos- 

 sible. And to-morrow he must w^ork hard as ever. 



Were I huntsman or master again I would — the cost 

 practicable — have a kennel far away, where, under suffi- 

 cient care, the puppies might sicken or thrive till the 

 critical time was passed, and the remnant could speak 

 for themselves. And, believe me, a puppy-walker whose 

 pet has gone to kennel only to die can at least feel equally 

 with huntsman or master. 



Friday, 25th March, was worked into an amusing 

 day, by the talent of the huntsman and the co-operation 

 of a numerous young contingent — chiefly, I fancy, doing 

 honour to Cambridge. The Pytchley had met at Great 

 Brington ; and, though there was never a great scent the 

 cool day through, foxes were kind, and the ground was 

 favourable. We were in the Brington and Buckby neigh- 

 bourhood — a goodly district, and, what was much to the 

 purpose to-day, a very delectable jump-ground. Goodall 

 and the " big dogs " hunted one fox down in the open ; 

 and made a run, out of no beginning, with another. 



That mirth was in the air and youth was in the field 

 was early hinted to me — how^ do you think ? By the 

 discovery, at one of the first gateways adjoining No- 

 bottle Wood, of a spur of such exaggerated dimension 



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