The Hunting Year 



you do not grumble much on this occasion, for 

 you have stolen a day; and your horse, in spite 

 of the untoward conditions which have some- 

 times raised qualms of conscience and fore- 

 bodings, has come home sound. 



There is no mistake about the weather next 

 day. The thermometer registers eight or nine 

 more degrees of frost than it has yet done, and 

 at night snow begins to fall heavily. A foot of 

 snow on the level brings out snow ploughs, and 

 also tells plainly enough to those who know the 

 weather signs that there will be no more hunting 

 for days. 



What, then, is a hunting man to do with his 

 days under such circumstances? If he is a 

 methodical man he has already got the arrears 

 of his correspondence worked up ; and time may 

 begin to hang heavily on his hands. But this 

 it ought not to do, and he can do some good to 

 hunting in the way of making himself friendly 

 to the men to whom he is indebted for his 

 sport. Who will be so delighted as Mr Broad- 

 acres, the sporting farmer, to see him and show 

 him that promising young chaser with which he 



no 



