78 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



length hounds were reached, marking at an earth on 

 an open common, where the fox was left. Where to 

 draw next was the question, and when the master 

 considered the matter he found he was twelve miles 

 from the covert he had second on his mental list, 

 and ten from any covert in his intended draw. 

 Luckily a second fox, and as it happened a good 

 one, was forthcoming close by, where, curiously 

 enough, a large head of breeding earths was open ; 

 but the case has only been quoted in order to show 

 that it is not always possible for the most exact of 

 masters to conform to his prearranged programme. 



On the other hand we have known a master, at 

 three o'clock on a late November afternoon, announce 

 his intention of going back to the country he had 

 just run from, to draw a certain covert, which in his 

 mind he had mapped out as part of the draw. It 

 was just six miles from where a fox had been killed, 

 and further away from kennels, but master and staff 

 had fresh horses, and so with two or three enthusiasts 

 they cantered off, hounds being taken by short cuts 

 at far beyond the usual covert-to-covert pace. Con- 

 formity to original ideas was well rewarded in this 

 case, for hounds found at once, and had a pretty half- 

 hour, killing their fox when there was just light enough 

 to carry out the breaking-up process. 



When the master is really master and has the sup- 

 port of his field the business of the draw is entirely his, 

 and no one thinks of putting his oar in with sugges- 

 tions. It may, however, happen that — especially in 

 the afternoon — it is immaterial to him whether he goes 

 to one of two, three, or perhaps even more coverts. 

 All may be at about equal distance, and all may be 

 about equal as to the number of times they have been 



