The Hunting Year 



ing for those who are priviliged to take part in 

 it, for it is not in every country that the modern 

 system of advertising the fixtures prevails. And 

 when one comes to think of it, it is only natural 

 that the huntsman should prefer to do the early 

 part, at any rate, of his educational work, with- 

 out being troubled by a large and a more or less 

 ignorant field whose attention is wandering when 

 it is most needed, and as one of the fraternity 

 once expressed it, " he did not want more cats 

 out than caught mice." 



But a hound man who is keen enough to ride 

 a dozen miles before daylight is pretty sure of 

 an invitation for an August morning's hunting, 

 and to find some enjoyment, too, when he gets 

 there. So some fine morning he finds a letter 

 informing him that the hounds will be at Oak- 

 dene at 5 a.m. 



This entails an early start, for Oakdene is 

 some ten miles off and it is essential to be in 

 the saddle not later than three o'clock. It is an 

 early hour indeed for these degenerate days, 

 but it is worth the little discomfort of rising and 

 breakfasting in the dark. 



24 



