56 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



have been stopped in time to save their lives. As 

 to the system of not assisting the hounds, I am sure 

 that every fox will agree with me in approving it. 

 Give me plenty of roads and dry fallows, or a few 

 deer or sheep, and even when the scent is good I 

 shall not fear to be killed by an unassisted pack. 

 Without such impediments a pack so educated 

 would be the most dangerous of all, and even with 

 them, if in the hands of a judicious huntsman. 



This pack was (alas ! that I should say was, for 

 he is no more,) hunted by a kind-hearted and 

 excellent man, who has been heard to say, at a 

 moment when his hounds were running very hard, 

 and going hke Leicestershire — he being nearly 

 twenty stone — " I hope I shall not see them any 

 more till they have killed." Notwithstanding the 

 system just described, as many of my friends have 

 fallen victims to this pack as to any in this part of 

 the country. Nevertheless here I shall remain for 

 the present, and not go away until I am fairly 

 driven. 



I now, my friends, conclude for the present the 

 history of my hfe, only omitting such important 

 events as may happen to come out in the course of 

 your own stories ; for I must now call upon you to 

 tell us what you have to say of yourselves. 



