60 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



years old, she ran away a long distance, and being 

 followed into a yard was there secured again. It 

 was observed when running that she carried her 

 tail level as I do, like a fox ; sometimes it was 

 crooked, but never upright. It was not so much 

 curled as mine is. 



I lived with my mother, and when I was two 

 years old, a master of fox-hounds happening to hear 

 of us, came to see us ; and after making many 

 inquiries, persuaded my owner to let him take me 

 away with him. I was then placed under the care 

 of the old feeder of hounds, with orders that I should 

 be allowed to run about in the house, with his 

 children for companions. I was shown to every 

 one as a curious animal, and became a great favour- 

 ite, but all attempts to tame me failed, and I never 

 would let a stranger touch me. My master took 

 me out with his dogs when he went to shoot rabbits, 

 but found me wholly useless. The sound of the 

 gun and the barking of the dogs frightened me so 

 much that I always ran away into the nearest 

 hedge or wood to hide myself ; and I felt that my 

 fate was sealed when I heard the old feeder say to 

 my master one day, " Now, sir, I am sure that this 

 here ' vulp ' " (for so I was called) " will never be 

 no use at all ; for he is as wild and timorous now 



