HUNTS AND THEIR HISTORY 137 



lower his reputation. But, after all, he is not much 

 to be pitied, for his work is his pleasure, and he knows 

 as no one else does what those eighteen or twenty 

 couple of hounds can do. 



The Master has his cares, for the very popularity 

 of the hunt fills his mind with a continual dread lest 

 some of those reckless youths should take as little 

 thought for his hounds as they do for their own necks. 

 He looks at his watch and nods to the huntsman, 

 who moves quietly off, the pack clustering round 

 his horse and then trotting on in their eagerness as 

 far in front as their respect for the first whipper-in, 

 who leads the way and represents order and discipline, 

 will allow. They know what is before them, and 

 their waving sterns flash white in the anticipation 

 of coming pleasure that fills them. 



Bescaby Oaks is the first covert to be drawn. The 

 field follow till they are packed in a muddy green 

 lane where they can do little mischief and whence 

 many of them will find it hard to disentangle them- 

 selves. But we have edged as near the gate on the 

 right as may be. The leaves are still on the trees, 

 golden, scarlet and brown, and there is that inde- 

 scribable scent of hunting in the air that stirs us 

 with the associations of past pleasures of the chase. 

 There is a cheer from the huntsman, a crack of the 

 thong of a whipper-in, then a note from a hound 

 which silences the chatter in the lane and brings 

 every one to attention. Then arises a tumult of 

 hound voices which sinks into silence and swells out 

 again. The clamour divides and tells us there are 

 two lines, and then a shrill voice sounds from the 

 far side of the covert. Those nearest the gate dash 

 through, up one side and down to the left, half the 

 horses out of hand with excitement ; but there is 



