RIVER CHARWELL WITH THE BICESTER 185 



thank our noble Master, that he was there to control and 

 chrect. A fearful and irresponsible thing is a masterless 

 crowd on a Pytchley Wednesday. 



Not all the perils of the hunting-tield are gotten of 

 jumping great fences, as I have observed many a time 

 before. Had you been among those who clustered near 

 Thornby, warm and rosy at first, till enthusiasm and 

 caloric alike dwindled over a rabbit-hole that in Reynard's 

 interest declined to be sapped, you might have seen yet 

 another instance in point. Let us put it thus, and chal- 

 lenge recognition : Two young Nimrods, the better to 

 invite the cooling breeze, had thrown open their coats, 

 dropped rein on their horses' necks, and, while one sat 

 with both legs hanging gracefully on the near side, the 

 other produced a silver box which might well have con- 

 tained a substantial luncheon, but which, according to the 

 custom of the younger day, held almost a bucketful of 

 paper-smokes. To tender these is, I am induced to be- 

 lieve, as much a mark of what across the water is termed 

 " high-tone," and of courteous good-fellowship, as used to 

 be the handing of the snuff-box by our grandfathers, or as 

 is still the passing of the pipe by the Indians. This done, 

 it became a matter of lighting a match, in a cool breeze 

 more likely to extinguish than to fan a flame. So the 

 smoke-giver leaned over, while the other played the part 

 of Vestal, and all went happily — till their horses, too, 

 must needs fraternise as closely. A's curb-chain caught 

 on to B's curb-hook ; the two steeds started hurriedly 

 back-, with the result that B's bridle came off by the ears, 

 and A's horse galloped off up the field, bucking fiercely at 

 the strange encumbrance tied on to his nose, while B 

 leaped off and left his bridleless and equally frightened 

 beast to his own devices. And this is true to the letter. 



CHAPTER XXVI 



THE RIVEK CHARWELL WITH THE BICESTER 



The Bicester were at Byfield on Saturday, December 3. 

 I remember only two trifling drawbacks to a very enjoy- 



