62 George Beers, Huntsma 



n. 



had gone along the fence at the bottom of the 

 field, and turned up the other side, still keeping 

 by the fence, until they arrived opposite the place 

 where they had checked. They had spread them- 

 selves in a perfect line about a yard apart, and 

 were then coming straight for us with every nose 

 down ; they might w^ell have been compared to a 

 wave on the seashore ; the fox did not rise, and in 

 a second he was lost to view under a heap of 

 hounds which could have been covered with a 

 cast-net. 



There was a study for a huntsman ! particularly 

 for one who thinks it his business to interfere 

 with hounds. 



As a south-west wind blew across the line, the 

 hounds ran the scent about twenty feet from the 

 line the fox had travelled. How often have I 

 heard huntsmen say, '' He must have dropped into 

 the earth," when in all probability he has only lain 

 down. A tired fox will not get up unless he is 

 obliged to do so. 



Bob came up and gave the fox to the hounds. 

 All troubles ceased, and 1 had to tell my lord 

 where thev had gone during a very pleasant ride 

 home. I inquired where the friend was. " Oh ! " 

 answered his lordship, ^' the last I heard of him. 

 he was in a snowdrift ! " 



