112 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



there was no scent on Saturday, even with " the biggest 

 fox whatever was seen," as he flicked across a main ride, 

 and we had barely " counted twenty " ere hounds were 

 puzzhng hopelessly over his line. 



The meet of Saturday was Scales Cross. The field 

 with the Braes is never a large one. To-day it con- 

 sisted of barely a dozen all told, among them being : 

 Mr. Humble, two Messrs. Cowen (sons of the Master), 

 Mr. Wallis, Mr. Hill, and Mr. and Mrs. G. Fenwick. 

 And this little party saw three or four foxes, found in the i 

 adjacent woodlands, scrambled awhile in the braes and j: 

 denes, and dispersed early in sorrow over the impos- 

 sibility of hunting a fox this day. 



Captain Middleton 



It is safe to say that the death of no single man in , 

 England could have gone home to its riding community j 

 so sharply or vividly as that of Captain Middleton. Wher- i 

 ever men rode, wherever men hunted, and wherever they 

 took life happily, his was a familiar figure and a welcome 

 face. They looked upon him, and up to him, as one of 

 the most accomplished and best tried horsemen of the 

 age — one who rode to hounds and between the flags for 

 love of it, never for what he could make or win. 



His eye to hounds was marvellous ; and he revelled 

 in a strong country and a good horse. He rode with 

 the nerve and light-heartedness of boyhood, with all the 

 knowledge and quickness of a full maturity that had lost 

 nothing of its nerve, its power, or its original fire. Pos- 

 sessed of a wonderful constitution, he never tired. What- 

 ever the hours, whatever the strain of travel, of arrangement, 

 or of social distraction, he appeared ever at the covertside 

 the freshest of all ; had he even been riding a severe race 

 the day before, and travelling all night to return. 



As one who has known him intimately since his cornet 

 days, and ridden runs unnumbered in his cheery company, 

 I can write pronouncedly on this head. As one who found 

 him a pleasant, happy comrade, a clever, well-informed 

 man, and a genial, unvarying friend, I mourn his loss in deep 



