194 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



be back in ten minutes," said the doctor, "can't stop 

 now," We were soon out of this hurly-burly, and strain- 

 ing to regain our places in the first rank, Jim carrying on 

 the charge furiously. The unceremonious way in which 

 Wiley had been ejected from his last refuge, appeared to 

 have thrown such a mist around him, that he hardly 

 knew where he was running, and the burst was short and 

 decisive, which put an end to his artful dodges. The 

 " whoo-whoop," soon resounded over the Last of the 

 Mohicans, for this was the last of those upon which old 

 Mr. Slowman had pinned his faith to beat us. His three 

 mighty warriors had now fallen before the strangers. 

 The fight had been won, vc;e victis. 



The day being yet early, we drew some small spinies, 

 at the end of which a fox went away, and gave us a 

 pretty skurry for about twenty minutes into a covert of 

 about forty acres ; the pace was severe whilst it lasted, 

 but our fox showed no disposition to quit his present 

 quarters, or try it again in the open. The scent being 

 good, the hounds rattled him round the covert at a clink- 

 ing rate ; but, being a sulky one, he would not break. 

 Jim came down the ride to where I was. " Shall I 

 finish him ofi'-hand. Sir ? he's a bad one, and there's no 

 more go in him." " No, Jim, let them alone ; we've 

 had wildish work this morning, and it will do the hounds 

 good to scratch their faces a little — mind we don^t change, 

 that's all." " No fear of that, Sir ; they are running as 

 if they were tied to him, and his mouth is wide open 

 already. My notion is, he's been a-breakfasting rather 

 late this morning." Old Dunbar and the reverend divine 

 soon after joined me in the ride. " By Jove, my old 

 friend, they are a cheerful lot, how they score through 



