THE LIFE OF A FOXHOUND. 155 



cause that the fox has been headed; but 

 we should not speculate upon chances or 

 accidents. ' ' 



We now carried it over some deep fallows, 

 and, being very dry and flying, we had to 

 pick through with great care. It was 

 remarkable to see the difference between the 

 old steady hounds and the young and eager 

 ones in these difficulties. With their noses on 

 the ground, the pilots of the pack felt for the 

 scent, here and there and held it forward with 

 patience and perseverance, while the too 

 ardent and flashy ones dashed in all 

 directions, with as much notion of the line of 

 the fox, as that of the rook flying over their 

 heads. After picking through the ploughs we 

 were enabled to up with our heads again, 

 cluster, and go full swing over some small 

 grass fields to a village road, where unfortu- 

 nately, some dung had been recently carted, 

 and the horrid smell made me feel ready to 

 vomit. Trimbush felt along the road a con- 

 siderable distance, as it was down wind, 

 before he was satisfied that this was not his 

 line, and then turning up, made about as wide 

 a cast, but to no purpose. 



' I wonder, " said the old hound, both vexed 



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