436 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



that this was a March day ; an easterly wind upon a 

 rime frost. Grass held a scent all day, and fortunately 

 we crossed nothing else during the melting morning. 

 In the afternoon the whole earth was scent-enticing. 



It has long been said that " all comes to him who 

 waits." The waiting has been anything but voluntary 

 on our part. But the flush of sport we are now 

 enjoying, brief as is the time left, will at least make 

 us leave off with a sweet, sweet taste upon the palate. 

 Apropos, I delight to find that the farmers — one and all 

 with whom I converse — urge strongly " an extra fort- 

 night." They have done no ploughing ; the lambs are 

 all safe ; and this March weather, while preparing for 

 the plough, does nothing towards hastening vegetation. 

 By next week the turf may be almost hard. 



In the haste and sleepiness of after-dinner writing 

 I have doubtless missed half my salient points. I don't 

 think I have even given credit to huntsmen. Yet what 

 would have been Saturday's fate without a man to 

 rescue hounds ; still more on Wednesday — the Pytchley ? 

 How would the Grafton have caught their fox at Badby 

 Wood but for the close perseverance of Bishopp ? And 

 on Tuesday how would the North Warwickshire have 

 held on during their long afternoon run but for Carr's 

 determination ? I have remarked nothing upon the 

 sweetness and invariable scent that ever succeeds a long 

 period of frost and snow. I have said nothing about 

 the curious firmness of the turf or of the persistency 

 with which foxes have held to it, each halcyon day. 



The Waruhckshire 



Thursday, March 14. — A brilliant gallop. Only 

 twenty-one minutes ; but something sharper, more de- 

 cisive, more exhilarating than I have seen for years, 

 since such time as, I remember, the Belvoir used to 

 burst up their foxes, say, a dozen years ago. It was 

 close upon 3.30 when this fox jumped up in a fallow 

 field near Welsh Road Gorse ; and, over the same strong 

 line that they have run twice before in the last year or 



