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going away in an opposite direction to where we 

 waited. Now this cover is fully a hundred acres ; 

 there are bridleways in all directions ; even where 

 there are none, it can be easily got through, and 

 the fence out of it can be jumped at any point : 

 should we be on the side opposite to where a fox 

 might go off, we could hardly catch such hoimds 

 as these. But there is another reason why we 

 should be where we can command the hounds : 

 there are some very strong fox-earths at Dornton 

 Wood, some five miles from here, to which foxes 

 often make ; and I have seen them make for this 

 favourite point when it was directly up-wind to 

 get there ; for, let me tell you, a fox will at times 

 face a hurricane to make his point. I have seen 

 one defy a whipper-in to turn him: he would, in 

 certain cases, be ridden over before he would be 

 driven from his line. Under these circumstances, 

 I wish to be prepared to get a place, let the break 

 be from where it will ; but see, the blaster is 

 waiting in cover also, and a great part of the field 

 behind him, so I trust I have not led you wrong. 

 Hark ! by George ! that^s a view. They turn 

 short to the right, clap up that ride, they are too 

 close to him to allow him to make his toilet — he 

 won^t stop to even change his slippers.^^ 



A loud shout outside the cover told us Charley 

 was '' over the border.^^ 



" Come along," said I to my friend, ^^ Ave^re 



O 4 



