Chapter 64
SOME CLUBS ENCOURAGE their members to dress up in costumes, for both rider and horse, when a hunting day falls on Halloween. Such frivolity was not observed at the venerable Montfair Hunt. On this subject Thumper and Ryman found a point of agreement, albeit for different reasons. Thumper’s was his devotion to the traditions established by his great-grandfather and steadfastly observed through the succeeding generations. Ryman’s was his belief that Saint Hubert did not want the holy message of the Venatican Church weakened by the practice of silly customs like Halloween.
To emphasize that position, Ryman led the post-hunt singing with even more than his usual vigor. The riders had enjoyed another Tuesday morning of exhilarating sport and all were eager participants in the songf
