FOX HUNTING. 99 



HOW THE CUNNING OF A FOX SAVED HIS LIFE. 



Can a fox run through a pack of hounds and 

 get away? He can, as the following mention of 

 a hunt will show: A fox was dropped in the 

 meadow below Bishop's mills, now known as the 

 Sycamore mills, and on the Middletown side of 

 the creek. An effort was made to drive the fox 

 down stream, to make him run away from his old 

 running ground, as he was a quick holer. Before 

 he had been driven far the hounds either broke 

 out or were let out purposely before the allotted 

 time for the start, and came down the meadow, 

 scattered all over it, until the foremost dogs struck 

 the scent. The fox, hearing the hounds coming, 

 turned and ran directly through the scattered pack, 

 making for a bend in the creek, in full sight of 

 every hound, and they all ran directly at him. 

 The fox reached the creek, and with a leap got 

 footing on a rock in the middle; a second leap 

 brought him to the opposite bank, and a slip 

 through the road fences on the Providence side 

 gave him a lead on the hounds, but they were push- 

 ing hard after him. A short run brought the fox 

 to a field where was a flock of sheep which had 

 huddled together in fright at the cry of the hounds, 

 and into the middle of this flock the fox put him- 

 self, running with the sheep to the farther end of 

 the field, where he slipped through another fence 



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