64 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



large one. The following season 1 was surprised 

 one morning by hearing the voices of some different 

 men with hounds, di*awing the wood in which I 

 lay. I soon moved and went away from the wood, 

 but was seen by men, who commenced hallooing, 

 " Gone away ! " The hounds were then hunting 

 another fox in the wood, where they continued all 

 day without killing him. At length I was found 

 by them where there was no other fox. They 

 pursued me for many miles in a most extraordinary 

 way, and such good hunting hounds they were, 

 that had I not gone down a road where a flock 

 of sheep had just gone before, unknown to the 

 huntsmen, I must have been killed. They there 

 came to a check, and as it was contrary to Mr. 

 Wyndham's system to assist his hounds by hold- 

 ing them forward, they never got near me again 

 that day. It was very like the system described 

 by our friend in the New Forest. 



The following year I was again surprised by 

 hearing the voice of another strange huntsman, 

 before I knew that hounds were just coming into 

 the wood. However, this notice was sufficient to 

 prepare me for a start. Soon after I had moved 

 from my kennel, a single hound threw his tongue. 

 Mr. Smith gave a very loud cheer, and every 



