9. In the event of the weather being considered by the Judges unsuitable for holding the Trials, it shall be in their power to postpone the Meeting from day to day until the Saturday following the first day of the Trials, on which day the Stakes not already decided shall be abandoned and their entry fees returned. 10. The Committee reserve to themselves the right to abandon the Meeting at any time, on returning their entry monies to the competitors, and if, from unforeseen circumstances, they deem it advisable to alter the date of the Meeting after the closing of the entries, this may be done by sending formal notice to all competitors, who may exercise the option of cancelling their entries within four days from the date of such notice, in which event their entry fees will be returned to them. All entries, however, in regard to which no such option is exercised, will stand good for the Meeting at its altered date. 11. If an advertised Judge be unable to fulfil his engagement for the whole or part of the Meeting, the Committee shall appoint any other person to judge, or shall make any other arrangements that to them seem desirable. 12. The decisions of the Committee present shall, in all matters arising at the Meetings, be final and conclusive, and shall bind all parties. CHAPTER VII =Training Spaniels= (_being an Extract from "Land and Water"_) "Most people are contented if a dog will work within gunshot and push out the game for him to kill. Almost any mongrel with the necessary practice and experience will do this, but I assume that the sportsman takes a pride in his dogs, likes to have good-looking and well-bred ones, and if he wishes to shoot in comfort and in good form when he uses Spaniels, it is quite as necessary to have them well-trained as any other breed of sporting dog. I will therefore give such directions as experience has taught me are useful. I know no dog that more repays the trouble of breaking yourself (that is, if you have the requisite knowledge and patience) than the Spaniel, who, from natural love and affection he has for his master more than any other dog, should be more ready to work for him than anyone else. The Spaniel's natural love of and ardour in hunting require a firm hand over him until he is matured. There is an old saying that 'A Spaniel is no good until he is nearly worn out.' There is a great deal of truth in this, and the Spaniel's enthusiasm must be largely reduced before he can get down to cool, earnest work. I recollect an old bitch, that belonged to a Devonshire sportsman, that was so cunning that she used to catch as much game as he shot. When the old man died, I bought the bitch, as she had a great reputation; but she was far too much of a pot-hunter for me. I could have backed her against a moderate gun any day.