HOESES AND HOUKDS. 199 



witli my plans. This was arranged in our way to the place of 

 meeting in the morning, _ Ned, the under-whip, also receiving 

 his instructions. Mr. Wiley was, as nsual, at home, and ready 

 for us. He was scarcely found, before he was through the hare 

 hole, and the hounds at the wall. Jim, being on the other side 

 ready for business, myself and the under-whip jumped off our 

 horses, and, handing five or six couples over the wall, rushed 

 with the remainder of the pack through the lodge gates, which 

 I had directed to be kept open for the emergency. Taking a 

 lane opposite, we dashed along until we joined, Jim and his 

 short cry coming towards us in high career. 



The scent being good, we gave Mr. Wiley such a dusting, that 

 he very soon turned his head, and made a short circuit round 

 into the lower part of the park again, and straight through it 

 for the same place, where he dodged us through the hare hole 

 at starting. Knowing now his line of running, I determined 

 upon a bold stroke to bother his tactics a little, and try and beat 

 him_ oft his foil. Taking the hounds up at once, I galloped 

 straight to the lodge gates to give him a meeting the other side. 

 The t^se succeeded — we barely escaped \iewing him at the 

 lane, but we were so close, that the hounds set to work, running 

 as if they could see him, and he went straight away for five and 

 twenty minutes as hard as we could pelt for a drain. Jim 

 jumping off examined the place, and shook his head. " He has 

 done for us now, sir, I'm afraid." " Stop a bit, Jim, let me have 

 a look at it." The drain was large and deep, and emptied itself 

 into a pond close to us. We had no terrier ; what was to be 

 done'? Jim looked blank — "My five shillings is gone sir, I 

 believe, this time." 



The field soon came up, and among the first my young friend 

 the farmer. Beckoning him to me, I made inquiries about the 

 drain. He said he knew it well, and that we could not get the 

 fox out, as it ran some length up the field, and advised me to 

 give him up at once and look for another : "And be laughed at 

 by the Slows," I added. " No, farmer, I must have him out in 

 the open once more ; he is not half beaten yet, and a bird in the 



hand, you know " " Well, sir, what's to be done 1 I am 



ready to lend a hand." " Go, then, straight away to that farm- 

 house, bring me a good bundle of straw under your arm, and a 

 tinder-box (cigars were not then in fashion), and some brimstone 

 matches, the more tlie better." Off he went joyfully to do my 

 bidding. My old friend, as usual (who would come out), 

 seemed now in good humour. " He has beaten you, I think," 

 he said, sarcastically. "I am not quite satisfied yet on that 

 point," I replied. " Oh, I suppose you are going to dig a 



