76 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



found me out, and pursued me for some time most 

 closely, till at length they came to a check. When 

 Mstening, I heard a person ride up and use these 

 words to the huntsman : *' Well, what are you going 

 to do now ? You had better be doing something ; 

 it's no use standing still." There was some reply 

 which I could not hear. However, I discovered that 

 the man addressed was Taylor the huntsman, and 

 that the pack was the remainder of that by which 

 I had first been hunted when it belonged to Mr. 

 Osbaldiston. The only difference I could observe 

 was, that they were not quite so powerful. That 

 they were stout enough I had reason to know ; for 

 although I escaped after their hunting me for 

 several hours in these large woods, they afterwards 

 killed another fox without leaving the covert. 



On another day, when I was lying in a large 

 covert adjoining the Forest of Whittlebury, and the 

 hounds had been drawing some distance beyond the 

 spot where I lay, I thought that I could steal away 

 unseen, and had nearly reached the outside of the 

 wood when I was much annoyed by the noise of a 

 jay, which kept flying above me as I went on. 

 When I stopped I heard a man say, "There is a 

 fox moving close to that jay, I'll be sworn ; just 

 look, you will see him cross that path directly.'' 



