190 HUNTING TOURS. 



by-gone days, I have seen foxes requiring 

 a vast deal of eloquent persuasion to induce 

 them to leave, but it v^^as not so on this 

 occasion. The presence of the hounds ap- 

 peared to be by no means vvelcome, and 

 scarcely had they announced that there was 

 a fox at home than a brace was viewed 

 away. With the alacrity Jem Hills is wont 

 to adopt, actively seconded by his son Tom, 

 and Charles Roberts, the under-whip, the 

 hounds were quickly out of cover, and, 

 settling to the scent by Mr. Langston's Farm, 

 ran at a merry pace to the Norrels, and 

 leaving Meirecourt Farm on the left, reached 

 Puddlicot Quarries, where there was a check. 

 It was anything but a good scenting day, 

 and all Jem's acknowledged skill and the 

 exquisite hunting powers of the pack were 

 called in requisition. Making one of his able 

 casts, the hounds hit off the line across the 

 Chipping Norton road, and across the Burford 

 road among the stone walls. Leaving Chad- 

 lington on the right, the fox headed short 

 back, crossing the Burford and Chipping 

 Norton road for Sarsgrove. Here the greater 

 portion of the field, who, appearing to have 

 come to the conclusion that the run was 



