230 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



was not in that line of country) were not stopped ; and 

 although Jim strove with might and main, he could not 

 arrive there before him, but it was so near a thing, that 

 he was only ahead by two fields. It was bad enough to 

 be foiled after so hard a run ; but the thing which an- 

 noyed Jim the most was the coolness of Mr. Wiley — 

 jumping into a farm yard only one field from the covert 

 side, he seized a duck before the thresher's face, who 

 was working in the barn, and carried him off in triumph 

 into his earth. When 1 got up, Jim was looking very 

 crestfallen. ** He has beaten us, Sir, and got home, and 

 more than that, he has taken a duck with him for supper." 

 *' Well," I said, " Jim, he has shown his sense, for the 

 chances are this old gentleman has been stopped in a 

 night or two occasionally by those idle earth-stoppers, 

 and I have no doubt he has provided against this contin- 

 gency." " He shan't be stopped in to-night, Sir, any 

 way, for I will come to see that the earths are all open ; 

 but I hope the next time we meet, he won't be able to 

 have things quite so snug." 



Another duty, and not a very agreeable one, which 

 pertains to a whipper-in's place, is his going out at night 

 to see that the earth is open, where a fox has been run to 

 ground during the day. This should never be neglected, 

 where there are any fox stealers, and there are few coun- 

 ties exempt from gentlemen of this calling. The news 

 soon spreads of a fox being run to ground at a cer- 

 tain place, by gentlemen returning from hunting. The 

 poacher's ears being generally pretty sharp at hearing, 

 and having friends perhaps on the look-out as well, he 

 soon picks up the information as to the whereabouts, 

 and starts for the earth to arrive there about dark. In 



