202 THE SOUTH DEVON HUNT 



large measure, the high standard of excellence of the 

 sport that marked his reign. Thus the credit for 

 raising the fortunes of the hunt may be said to have 

 been shared by master and man, for not alone could 

 either the genial personality of the master or the 

 sport shewn by the huntsman have effected the im- 

 provement in the status of the hunt that together 

 they brought about. 



Although master in the field in fact as well as in 

 name, Gaye had a happy way with him that made 

 everyone anxious to do as he wished. Now and then 

 he would have occasion to administer a severe 

 reprimand to his field or to some individual, but he 

 had a way of doing even that, and his language never 

 exceeded a few accepted expletives. Sometimes the 

 offender, catching the unconcerned expression of only 

 one of the Doctor's eyes, a glass one, would be taken 

 quite by surprise. His anger was not easily roused, 

 and was quickly appeased. Yet he could be very 

 angry, and he once emphasized his remarks with his 

 hunting crop on the shoulders of the culprit he was 

 rebuking. This reminds me that I had the misfortune 

 accidentally to knock out the Doctor's last front 

 tooth with my hunting crop, a heavy cherry-wood 

 thing. The pack was baying at an earth in thick 

 undergrowth and the master had just pulled out the 

 terrier, covered with red earth, which the hounds 

 mistook for the fox. Rating and laying about me 

 with my cherry-wood, I saw the Doctor suddenly 

 drop the terrier and turn away with his hand to his 

 face, and, when the din subsided, he told me what 

 had happened. The dear old man was not at all 

 angry, though the blow evidently gave him much 

 pain. He only asked me to say nothing about it 

 and then, taking off his hunting cap, gave me a cigar 



