GEORGE CARTER'S DEFEAT 115 



came, and a little hole was opened mid-way between the mouths 

 of the drain. George resolved in his own mind to do as I had 

 often done in these short drains, to let the hounds, in the full 

 tide of their eagerness, draw him. He stood, therefore, when 

 the middle hole was opened, close at one end of the drain, which 

 he had cleared from hounds, when, waving the pack back with 

 his whip, he saw the fox looked out, but thinking it would not 

 do, the fox drew in again. Up came Mr. Magniac and other 

 gentlemen ; and feeling some sort of respect for an animal, with- 

 out reference to his pursuers, who had shown them such a run, 

 "Oh, George,"" they cried, "let him out; don't murder him.' 1 

 George, who was always, as I said before, the best -mannered 

 servant possible, whispered to my brother, " He can't get away, 

 sir," and waved the hounds back a little farther, but still they 

 stood in a semicircle not twenty yards from the drain. The 

 fox looked out again, and, thinking it the best chance George 

 would afford him, bolted. Instead, however, of taking to the 

 field, he ran bang at the farm-yard gate, which was close to him, 

 and in that farm-yard, well huddled together, was a considerable 

 flock of sheep. The fox went under their bellies, and the 

 hounds, topping the gate, landed on their backs, consequently 

 all view of the fox was lost. The situation of the premises 

 admitted of no slipping round ; the only way through was by 

 the farm-yard, and that for a time was effectually blocked by 

 the sheep. Hounds and sheep all one on the other, the fox 

 took that opportunity of slipping away, well trampled on 

 and soiled by the sheep ; and the sheep seeing him, burst 

 the hurdles that were tied across the exit from the yard, 

 and went scampering over the field after him. One hurdle 

 only giving way, it was some moments before the wedged-up 

 muttons permitted a horseman to get through. The hounds 

 never hit their fox again, and George Carter returned with- 

 out the laurels I bid him win. To my question of why 

 he did not let the hounds, who richly deserved him, draw 

 him, George said, "He wished to oblige the gentlemen, 

 without, as he thought, any chance of being beaten, and so 



