292 In Scarlet and Silk 



To buy of the farmer over whose land we 

 hunt is a thing we should all do, where 

 feasible ; but in many countries it is next 

 door to impossible, however much we may 

 wish it. In such deals I have always been lucky 

 enough to get very good value for my money, 

 and notably so on one occasion, when a curious- 

 looking, wizened-up old fellow, riding a niceish 

 young bay, addressed me at covert-side thus — 



" Morning, sir. Want to buy a good young 

 hunter, now ? " 



" Well, I don't know. How old is he ? " 



" Comin' four. Bred 'un myself. I live 

 over at yon farm there," nodding his head in 

 the direction of a small homestead at the end 

 of the field we were then in. 



" How much do you want ? " 



" Shan't say till you've seen 'un, and got 

 on 'un," was the somewhat unexpected reply. 



I glanced over the young one, and certainly 

 he looked a hunter in embryo. 



" I'll come to-morrow at eleven," I said. 



The old chap merely nodded, and then 

 moved off. 



