The Hunting Year 



start so everyone gets one. The country is 

 blind, but somehow one gets there, and not 

 being expected to ride, everyone does his level 

 best. And so the gallop stands out as " that 

 good run we had cub-hunting," and it is just 

 possible that the very circumstances under 

 which it takes place makes it valued more than 

 it really merits. 



Hounds have met at half-past five. It is just 

 light enough to hunt when the coverts which are 

 the objective are reached ; a hot, stuffy morning, 

 one on which the most sanguine would scarcely 

 expect even a working scent. As the morning 

 goes on it gets hotter and closer; there is no 

 sun, but a sultry, heavy air which is all against 

 hounds ; and, by the way, somehow there always 

 seems a better scent on the whole in August 

 than there is in September — especially in covert. 



Hounds have soon got to work amongst the 



cubs, but those who prophesied a bad scent 



have had their opinion justified by events ; and 



a couple of hours' very slow work amongst a 



couple of litters in a big wood has ended in the 



death of a cub. 



42 



