If We See a Scout

The junior judge announced at the first breakaway, 

“If we see a scout riding in front, his dog will be disqualified.”

Ben Reach, the senior judge, thought, “Oh, Hell.” 

The courses on Bent Pine Plantation twisted and turned constantly. What was behind the judges could be in front of the judges in an instant. Ben knew trouble brewed. And Ben knew why: Junior judge Robert Grimes had a grudge against scout Mose Blevins, thought he had ridden off his entry in the Deep South Championship, Mollie McGuire, twenty years before. 

Ben had been judging that day also, and knew Mollie McGuire was never in contention for Champion or Runner-Up. He doubted Mose would have waisted time riding Molly off. Mose was known for never taking his eyes off the dog he was scouting, one of the things that made him a legend in the sport. 

What to do, Ben mused. Before he could approach Grimes and ask for a huddle, two scouts were walking the first brace to the breakaway on reins and Ben heard Grimes say, “Let ‘em go.” 

The first time Ben saw no one was riding close enough to them to overhear him, Ben said to Grimes, “Why did you make that announcement about scouts in front?” Grimes winced, catching the implied criticism in Ben’s voice, but he said nothing in answer to Ben’s question. Ben rode in silence for ten minutes, then said, “This course turns sharp left in a hundred yards. Both scouts are now dragging the left flank. They will be in front of us for a while, but not because they have done anything wrong. Do you agree?” Grimes nodded. 

“I want an understanding with you that you will not call a scout out for front scouting before discussing it with me, Robert. Do you agree with that?” 

Ben could tell from Robert Grimes expression that he was offended by what Ben had just said. That’s good, Ben thought. After a minute had passed, Grimes nodded assent to Ben’s request. 

“Have you ridden this course before?” was Ben’s next question to Grimes, who shook his head no to Ben’s question. Ben said, “I’ll tell you in advance when direction changes are coming up.” 

For the rest of the brace Ben watched Grimes like a hawk but was not obvious about it. When the second brace released on a nod from Ben, Robert Grimes was still pouting, but Ben felt certain he had made his point. Mose Blevins had been riding behind them in the gallery, watching intently the reactions between the two judges. Nothing had been lost on Mose. 

“What’s that grin on your face about, Mose?” asked fellow scout John Washington, whose day job was master of the second hunt team on nearby Persimmon Plantation. He knew the answer to his question, for he too had been observing the chemistry between the two judges during the first brace. Black men had generations of experiencing watching and judging the attitudes of white men in positions of authority, in the bird dog sports and elsewhere.