The Hunting Year 



poultry yard, a fact which, he says, he is going 

 to notify to the huntsman. 



And as he is talking, up rides that worthy on 

 a hack, and he is soon sitting over the fire 

 and talking about the weather. He asks Mr 

 Cropley what Oatlands Wood is like, and hears 

 as he expects, that it is full of foxes. " But I 

 want to know what the rides are like; can I 

 come and disturb the foxes for you ? " The 

 question is answered in the affirmative, and then 

 arrangements are made for the pulling down of a 

 rail here and making a gap there, and the party 

 separate after arranging a meet on the morrow. 



A hunt in the snow! It is good fun — for 

 once in a way. So mounted on hacks — care 

 having been taken to stuff their feet with gutta- 

 percha to prevent " balling " — some ten or a 

 dozen men, mostly farmers, foregather at Oat- 

 lands Wood the next day. Dear reader, you 

 would be much better amongst that number 

 than playing pool at your club, or sitting over 

 your smoke-room fire injuring your nerves by 

 smoking innumerable cigarettes, and your morals 

 by reading a French novel. 



112 



