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It was near the beginning of September, and but a sleepy half dozen or so of riders had turned out to meet the hounds the following morning, at Liss Cranny Wood. There had been rain during the night and, though it had ceased, a wild wet wind was blowing hard from the north-west. The yellowing beech trees twisted and swung their grey arms in the gale. Hats flew down the wind like driven grouse; Sir Thomas's voice, in the middle of the covert, came to the riders assembled at the cross roads on the outskirts of the wood in gusts, fitful indeed, but not so fitful that Nora, on the distrained foxy mare, was not able to gauge to a nicety the state of his temper. From the fact of her unostentatious position in the rear it might safely be concluded that it, like the wind, was still rising. The riders huddled together in the lee of the trees, their various elements fused in the crucible of Sir Thomas's wrath into a compact and anxious mass. There had been an unusually large entry of puppies that season, and Sir Thomas's temper, never at its best on a morning of cubbing, was making exhaustive demands on his stock of expletives. Rabbits were flying about in every direction, each with a shrieking puppy or two in its wake. Jerry, the Whip, was galloping ventre
"All the sabe," said the Prince, "id is a splid idfididive." Clarence pointed silently to the door. "And you doe id is," persisted the Prince. "And id's spoiled your big sbeech. Id " "Come on, can't you," interrupted Scout-Master Wagstaff. "I ab cubbing, aren't I? I was odly saying " "I'll give you such a whack over the shin with this hockey-stick in a minute!" said the Scout-Master warningly.
Have you sold your bay horse, Glennie?" Shelton had not decided whether or no to sneak away, when the Commodore's thick voice began: "My man tellsh me that Mrs. Foliot haw has lamed her Arab. Does she mean to come out cubbing?" Shelton observed the smile that came on all their faces. "Foliot 's paying for his good time now; what a donkey to get caught!" it seemed to say.
"Yup," answered a choked voice. "Cubbing oud dow." Again the funnel was darkened. A pair of feet appeared; then the surgeon's chunky trunk, his head, and the lantern. Once, twice, and thrice he inhaled deeply. "Phew!" he gasped. "Thought I was tough, but Phee-ee-ee-ew!" "Did you find " "No, sir. Not Darrow. Only a poor devil of a seal that crawled in there to die." The exploration continued.
But Midmore needed two, next morning very early, for a devil's diversion, among wet coppices, called 'cubbing. 'You haven't a bad seat, said Miss Sperrit through the morning-mists. 'But you're worrying him. 'He pulls so, Midmore grunted. 'Let him alone, then. Look out for the branches, she shouted, as they whirled up a splashy ride. Cubs were plentiful.
Winton, who breathed again, hurried her off to Mildenham. He had bought her a new horse. They were in time for the last of the cubbing. And, for a week at least, the passion for riding and the sight of hounds carried all before it. Then, just as the real business of the season was beginning, she began to feel dull and restless. Mildenham was dark; the autumn winds made dreary noises.
It seems like the breaking up of a family party when the cubbing ceases and all the pomp and circumstance of fox-hunting commences. I often wonder if people who take no interest whatever in cub-hunting, but who regularly appear on the opening day of the season, really ride to hunt, or hunt to ride?
Could not Gyp come down? He was alone, and cubbing had begun. It was like him to veil his longings under such dry statements. But the thought of giving him pleasure, and of a gallop with hounds fortified intensely her feeling that she ought to go. Now that baby was so well, and Fiorsen still not drinking, she might surely snatch this little holiday and satisfy her conscience about the girl.
"Dad and I are never back by eight-thirty when we go cubbing, are we, Dad?" she said. The squire cleared his throat, and did not respond. Mrs. Ingleton smiled. "But we are changing all that," she said. "At my particular request your dear father has promised me to give up hunting." "What?" said Sylvia, and turned upon her father with a red flash in her eyes. "Dad, is that true?"
It is essential for a lady who intends to hunt, to be able to ride a fast gallop without becoming "blown." Some hunting ladies do preparatory work cubbing or with the Devon and Somerset Staghounds. Those who are obliged to forego these pleasant methods of "getting fit," would do well to get into fairly good condition by long walks or bicycle rides.
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