LETTER XVI II. 195 



the covert," he was remarking ; ** hang it, I wish we 

 could change them for old Slowman and Co." Some 

 reply was made in a gruff tone. *' You are too hard 

 upon these youngsters, and forget that when you and I 

 were young, we could do a thing or two. No more 

 grumbling, doctor, for hang me if I won't double my 

 subscription if they will hunt the country next season." 

 A decided change had come over the doctor, for, upon 

 coming up, he expressed his satisfaction at the manner 

 in which the hounds were doing their work ; and, won- 

 derful to relate, asked me to dine with him the following 

 week. The fox now turned very short, and it was very 

 soon over with him. 



Hounds soon find out when a fox is sinking, and it is 

 at this time that there is great risk of their losing him, 

 by dashing in their eagerness over the scent, the fox 

 often lying down behind them. I once witnessed a curi- 

 ous instance of this in my own country. We had found 

 a fox in our grass district, and had a beautiful burst for 

 about forty minutes, with a burning scent, into a small 

 covert, where there was a head of earths — the hounds 

 had, in fact, run away from us all ; and when I got up, 

 they were standing still in some short underwood, with 

 their heads up. An old friend of mine, and a capital 

 sportsman, who was with me, on seeing the hounds in 

 such a position, exclaimed, " Why, what's in the wind 

 now ?" " Nothing," I said, " that's very clear." " He's 

 gone to ground," said Bob. The hounds were standing 

 close by the earths. I examined all of them ; none 

 were open. " Here is a queer affair, indeed," said 

 Bob ; " but where's the fox. Squire ?" ** Among the 

 hounds." ^* Among the hounds!" he said; "how the 



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