_Tommy_ (_home for the holidays_). "No jolly fear! You want to get first start!"] * * * * * "BUSINESS FIRST" _Favourite Son of M.F.H._ (_to old huntsman_). "No, Smith, you won't see much more of me for the rest of the season; if at all." _Smith_ (_with some concern_). "Indeed, sir! 'Ow's that?" _Son of M.F.H._ "Well, you see, I'm reading hard." _Smith_ (_interrogatively_). "Readin' 'ard, sir?" _Son of M.F.H._ "Yes, I'm reading Law." _Smith._ "Well, I likes to read a bit o' them perlice reports myself, sir, now an' then; but I don't allow 'em to hinterfere with a honest day's 'untin'." * * * * * AN OMISSION BEST OMITTED _Brown_ (_on foot_). "Do you know what the total is for the season?" _Simkins_ (_somewhat new to country life_). "Fifteen pairs of foxes, the huntsman says. But he seems to have kept no count of rabbits or 'ares, and I know they've killed and eaten a lot of those!" * * * * * [Illustration: PUTTING IT NICELY _Young Lady_ (_politely, to old Gentleman who is fiddling with gap_). "I don't wish to hurry you, sir, but when you have quite finished your game of spilikins I should like to come!"] * * * * * [Illustration: TERPSICHOREAN _Sportsman_ (_to Dancing Man, who has accepted a mount_). "Hold on tight, sir, and she'll _waltz_ over with you."] * * * * * [Illustration: _Benevolent Stranger._ "Allow me, sir, to offer you a drink!" _Unfortunate Sportsman_ (_just out of brook_). "Thanks; but I've had a drop too much already!"] * * * * * [Illustration: THE MAGIC WORD _Huntsman_ (_having run a fox to ground, to yokel_). "Run away down and get some o' your fellows to come up with spades, will ye? Tell 'em we're after hidden treasure!"] * * * * * [Illustration: A CAPITAL DODGE Among his native banks Old Poddles takes a lot of beating. He says there's nothing easier when you know how to negotiate 'em.] * * * * * HUNTING EXTRAORDINARY Jobson, who edits a cheerful little weekly, said to me the other day: "You hunt, don't you?" I looked at him knowingly. Jobson interpreted my smile according to his preconceived idea. "I thought so," he continued. "Well, you might do me a bright little article--about half a column, you know--on hunting, will you?" Why should I hesitate? Jobson is safe for cash; and he had not asked me to give my own experiences of the hunting field. I replied warily, "I fancy I know the sort of thing you want." "Good," he said, and before we could arrive at any detailed explanation he had banged the door and dashed downstairs, jumped into his hansom and was off. This was the article:- THOUGHTS ON HUNTING.