HUNTING THE FOX 117 



check very often, and every time they check they 

 get farther behind their Fox, and therefore tend 

 to hunt more slowly. Yet there are always some 

 sanguine spirits who would appear to think that, 

 by some magical process, the scent will improve 

 after each delay, and, as soon as the Hounds own 

 the line again, begin to compete with redoubled 

 vigour, regardless of the sad truth that, unless 

 the Fox lies down or has a fit, he is every moment 

 increasing the distance between himself and his 

 enemies. The people who form this little band 

 are the same every day. They are, no doubt 

 unconsciously, a great nuisance to the Huntsman 

 and M.F.H., but are animated by nothing but zeal. 

 If only they could be persuaded to take a line 

 either to the right or left of the Hounds, they would 

 see far more sport. If, indeed, they get a little 

 too forward on the flank, they do not do nearly so 

 much harm as if they were riding on the very tail 

 of the Hounds, provided they will pull up when 

 the Hounds are in difficulties, and turn their horses' 

 heads the same way as the Hounds' heads are 

 pointing when they fling themselves towards the 

 horses to recover the scent. Hounds take their 

 sense of direction from horses to a greater degree 

 than many people imagine ; they yield to pressure 

 from horses on their sterns and get driven past 

 the magic spot where the Fox turned, but, when 

 they fling to the right or left, will nearly always 



