HUNTING THE FOX 25 



them to do. About seven times out of ten the 

 Hounds will hit off the line for themselves, and all 

 goes well again. When he is ultimately obliged 

 to try his hand at a cast, if he will only make the 

 smallest possible circle first up wind and then 

 down wind, with his Hounds well in front of him, 

 the Field may be induced to stand still because 

 they can see what is going on, and there will be 

 no excuse for following him about when he is 

 casting. This method of handling the situation 

 at a check has been prescribed by the best authori- 

 ties, and serves the purpose of making it possible 

 for the Master to control the Field, to say nothing 

 of its being by far the most likely way to catch 

 the Fox. If, on the other hand, the Huntsman 

 thinks that the moment a check occurs he must 

 be up and doing, and acts in the contrary manner 

 to that which has just been indicated, by riding 

 into his Hounds and starting off on an indeterminate 

 dragging expedition down wind with all his Hounds 

 behind him with their heads up, it is next door 

 to impossible for the Master to prevent the Field 

 from following him, smashing the fences when 

 Hounds are not running, and foiling all the ground, 

 while the Hounds are far more concerned to avoid 

 being jumped upon than to put their noses down 

 for the scent. This painful exhibition generally 

 ends in the Master losing his temper and the 

 Huntsman losing his Fox. 



