HUNTING THE FOX 71 



up wind, or his line has been quickly recovered on 

 the first short down-wind cast, he will have gained 

 some ground, and the pace will now very likely 

 become slower, until he begins to tire and the 

 Hounds begin to work up to him. So far we have 

 imagined the chase to have taken place over the 

 open country ; but few runs of any length are 

 recorded in which no coverts are touched. If the 

 Fox goes into a small covert the Hounds should be 

 allowed to hunt his line into it. It is tempting 

 to take them off their noses and try to hit the line 

 on the other side. But the danger of hitting off 

 the line of a fresh Fox who has moved on hearing 

 the cry is too great to warrant this speculative 

 practice, while, if no Fox has left the covert, the 

 Hounds will have been taken off their noses and 

 deceived, with nothing to show for it ; though, if 

 a clever whipper-in has seen the beaten Fox go 

 away, the manoeuvre can be, and probably ought 

 to be, tried. If the hunted Fox goes into a wood- 

 land or chain of coverts, say in a park, the Hunts- 

 man should keep as near the leading Hounds as 

 he can, and constantly sound his horn and voice. 

 This lets his men and his field know the direction 

 of the chase, holds the pack together, and tends 

 to keep the Fox's head straight. Some say that 

 this also tends to move fresh Foxes out of the way 

 and thus reduce the risk of changing Foxes. An 

 acute observer once said that from time to time a 



