LETTER XVII. 187 



comes !" Shriek after shriek followed, and down came 

 Jim, with the fox before him, right in among the leading 

 hounds. The " who-hoop !" he uttered might have been 

 heard in the next town. The reins instantly dropped 

 upon my horse's neck, and I then walked leisurely in. 

 Jim's attitude was highly picturesque. On the top of a 

 hillock he stood, with his cap in his right hand, and the 

 fox in his left, held high over his head — the hounds, some 

 lying, others baying around him. His screams must 

 have struck terror into poor old Slowman's heart, who 

 was making the best fight he could still up the hill, to 

 be there or thereabouts. 



The ceremony of dividing this dainty morsel among 

 the eager and expectant hounds was delayed to give all 

 the field who remained an opportunity of being in at — 

 what they had not seen for a month before — the death of 

 the fox. Most of them laughed, and thought it a capital 

 joke, my taking the cards into my own hands in this way, 

 but others of the orthodox school, looked anything but 

 pleased at the slip I had given them in the big wood, and 

 thought I was taking great liberties. My reverend friend 

 slowly approached with a countenance sour enough to 

 turn new milk. " A pretty way of doing things," I heard 

 him sneeringly remark, " mobbing and riding foxes to 

 death in this manner, with other people's hounds too. 

 He might spoil his own if he liked, and welcome, but I 



am surprised Mr. allows his pack to be treated so." 



** Without my friend's permission, Sir," I replied rather 

 angrily, " I should not have taken such a liberty. His 

 hounds wanted blood, and I have killed a fox for them, 

 that is all. For myself, I do not come into this country 

 to be taught lessons in fox-hunting. Little as I do know, 



