THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL 119 



them to disperse and leave me almost sole 

 occupant of the 'situation.' 



"Then, after waiting half an hour or so 

 near the spot, I turned my head towards home; 

 but, before I arrived there, I met a man open- 

 mouthed, bawling out, 'They've a-traced a fox 

 into Brimblecombe ; for I hear Dowland bell 

 a-going.' 



"So oft' I went to Dowland in post haste; 

 found out where the fox was lying, turned him 

 out of a furze bush, ran him one hour and 

 fortv minutes — a blaze of scent all the wav — 

 and took him up alive before the hounds on 

 the very earths I had so lately quitted ; where, 

 unfortunately for him, a couple of scoundrels 

 had remained on the watch, and had conse- 

 quently headed him short back from that 

 stronghold." 



But Russell had not yet finished with the 

 fox-killers ; for, as he says, " The very next day 

 after the run from Brimblecombe, a man came 

 to Iddesleigh on purpose to inform me that 

 the bell was going at Beaford, and that a fox 

 had been traced into a brake near that hamlet. 

 The brake, in reality, though not far from 

 Iddesleigh, was in Mr. Glubb's country ; but, 

 feeling sure that the necessity of the case 

 would justify the encroachment, I let out the 

 hounds at once, and hurried to the spot with 

 all speed. 



