26 HOUND AND HORN ; 



Smith were out, and we very soon found a fox, and the 

 hounds hunted hirn round and round once or twice, 

 till at last he seemed to think, ' Well, I must be off or 

 old Carter will catch me/ and out he come over the road 

 and into the next field, where, behold, there were a 

 sheepfold, and a shepherd and his dog, for 'twere 

 lambing time you see, sir; well, the fox see the 

 shepherd if the shepherd didn't see the fox, and back 

 he turns again and into the wood ; well, sir, Mr. Smith 

 sees that the fox were headed, but he know'd the 

 shepherd were only a-doing his duty and minding his 

 master's property, so he didn't say anything to him ; 

 and we knocked the fox about a bit in the wood again, 

 when out he comes a little lower down, and as we 

 come out the hounds couldn't carry it over the road, 

 but one or two feathered a bit, and got back into the 

 wood ; and in the road were an old lady in a red cloak 

 coming along with a bundle. Well, Mr. Smith rode up 

 to her, and says, 'Have you seen the fox, my good 

 woman ? ' ' Yes, sir,' says she, ' he comed out just 

 there,' pointing to the place, 'and then turned back 

 again in there where the dogs be.' Well, sir, Mr. 

 Smith looks at the old woman, and says, ' I don't wish 

 you any harm, madam, and you looks pretty well, only 

 I wishes you had been at home, and abed' and off he 

 goes. Oh ! I did laugh. Well, sir, Ave gave that fox 



