150 THE FOX IN SUMMER 



rustics, had jumped the fence to his right, and under 

 its shelter was hurrying back to covert. The field, 

 with the exception of our " humane society," was 

 following the slowly returning pack, which patiently 

 puzzled out Reynard's returning steps. I had nothing 

 then to do but to remain still. I had lost no start, 

 and equanimity was restored. But no sooner had 

 our fox re-entered the covert, when, at the same 

 spot from which he made his exit, a second fox 

 slipped away. No. 2 was a great dark fellow, a 

 rough-looking customer, with shaggy fur and full 

 brush unadorned, however, with a particle of white. 

 Away he went right in the tracks of No. 1, but no 

 rustics bothered him ; the yokels, in high delight, 

 were " following the hoont " back to the covert. It 

 was my privilege to hold my hat in the air, and to 

 convey to Duke what had happened. He elected to 

 follow this fox, as the coast was clear, but meanwhile 

 hounds were back in covert, and there was a slight 

 delay in getting them to the horn. But few minutes 

 had elapsed since the first fox broke ; there was no 

 change in the weather, no overhanging clouds had 

 passed away, and the second fox was running a 

 foiled line. Yet the way those beautiful hounds 

 dusted that unfortunate was a sight to see, and 

 right merry was the dart which followed. How well 

 I remember it! One hard-riding pursuer will recollect 

 it to his dying day, I fear — a broken leg is a sorry 

 memento of a day's sport. But maybe he has forgotten 

 it ; he certainly appeared to have done so, to judge by 

 the way he was going last season. 



This much is certain, that the first fox left little or 



