THE FOX IN SUMMER 153 



happy thought arises, dispels the gloom, and permits 

 me to bring this chapter to a close in a spirit of 

 tolerable cheerfulness. 



Perchance, after a bad morning's sport next winter, 

 " ingenious youth " may restrain his impulse to go 

 home, may recall the words of the enthusiast who 

 scribbles these lines, and say to himself, " Perhaps 

 the afternoon fox may possess a more powerful 

 perfume ! " Then it may come to pass that he shall 

 stay out and enjoy " the run of the season." At all 

 events, let the said youth remember that the lines 

 of Whyte-Melville I quoted on an earlier page, 

 describe the only way, when hounds are in the open, 

 of ascertaining whether there is, or is not, a scent. 



