WILT'S STORY 43 



in order to baffle my pursuers. At length I came 

 opposite to some buildings, and seeing a large pile 

 of wood, crept in amongst it and lay down. After 

 listening for some time, I heard the cry of a few 

 hounds not far off; but the noise ceased just about 

 the spot where I turned down the road, and all was 

 silent for some time. At last I heard the voice of 

 Sawyer the whipper-in, saying he must take the 

 hounds home to the kennel if his horse would 

 enable him ; but that the huntsman's and the other 

 whipper-in's horses were both done ; and so they 

 were, for they never lived to reach their stable. 



Having again escaped from that clever hunts- 

 man Foster and his pack, I determined at first to 

 remain in this part of Sussex. It was hunted by 

 Colonel Wyndham, whose hounds I soon had 

 reason to know were not less fatal than those by 

 which I had lately been so severely hunted. They 

 seemed to me to be quicker in their work, and to 

 keep closer to me when it was a good scenting day ; 

 although when it happened to be otherwise they 

 could not hunt me so long or so far as the other 

 pack had done. Once or twice when I was nearly 

 tired they left me, owing to the scent being bad, 

 and went to find another fox, when I believe that 

 Foster and his pack would have gone on longer, if 



