WILY^S STORY 35 



I recollect hearing, as I lay that day in a piece 

 of thick gorse, the following proof of the patience 

 and good temper of Sawyer, the whipper-in. The 

 hounds had followed a fox into a wood close by, 

 having hunted him some time in close pursuit, 

 when a jovial sort of person, who constantly rode 

 after these hounds, saw a fresh fox — being no other 

 than myself — and began hallooing to the full 

 extent of his voice. Sawyer immediately rode up 

 to him, and addressed him thus : " Now, pray Mr. 



W , don't ye halloo so, don't ye halloo ; 'tis a 



fresh fox ! " But still the person continued as loud 

 as ever. The same entreaty was repeated again 

 and again, and still he would halloo. At last 

 Sawyer gave it up as a forlorn hope, and left him, 

 just remarking, " Well, I never seed such an 

 uneasy creature as you be in all my Ufe." He 

 then followed the pack, which had by that time 

 left the cover in pursuit of the first fox, which 

 they had been running all the time. Yet we foxes 

 have reason to know that a more determined and 

 ardent enemy to us in the shape of a whipper-in 

 than this man never hved. It fortunately happened 

 for me that the weather now became very dry ; 

 for I was not unfrequently disturbed by these 

 hounds, and though the scent was not very good 



