130 iiitiing to l^ountJs". 



forward from his side like an opening fan to enter 

 its recesses, where each busy hound will vie with its 

 fellow in enquiring eagerness to ascertain the snugly 

 sheltered whereabouts of that sly little red rover, 

 v^hose front door has been so secure!}' closed against 

 his entrance by the careful earth-stopper overnight. 

 But hark ! a whimper ! and yet another, and then 

 w^hat a melodious chorus as the pack, flying to an 

 encouraging cheer, get at length well together -and 

 settle down to work. 



They have found — and if the covert is not a small 

 one, and you are not (as in such case 3'ou probably 

 v^ould be) marshalled with the rest of the field to 

 some particular corner of it by the Master, you had 

 a great deal better get inside it ; and by keeping 

 your ears open to the cry of hounds as the}' pursue 

 their quarry from one quarter to another, you will 

 be able in your mind's eye to sufficiently accurately 

 follow their movements, and will, as you do so, of 

 course steer your horse through its rackways and 

 ridings as those guiding notes may direct. 



By this means you will more probably get well 

 away with hounds than by any other, for even should 

 a fox steal quite unobserved from the dense wood- 

 land we will presume hounds are hunting, their 

 changed and clearer notes, when outside it, and 

 relieved from the deadening influences of the over- 



