DORSETS STORY 83 



or three of the hunters rode up, and I heard the 

 following words : " Not worth saving : get him out 

 and give him to the hounds ; he can't run a yard." 

 However, it was decided that I should have a 

 chance, as they called it ; and a pretty chance it 

 was. I was dug out, put into a sack, and given to 

 the whipper-in, with orders to turn me out on the 

 down. Something was said about cutting my 

 hamstrings, in order to lame me, and one wished 

 to cut off my brush ; and that it was not done was 

 a great disappointment to the wretch. I was 

 turned out at only about a hundred yards from the 

 pack, but contrived to reach a hedge just as one of 

 the leading hounds had got close to me, when I 

 turned short to the left down the narrow ditch. 

 The hounds all sprang over the fence, and then, 

 not seeing me there, fortunately turned first to the 

 right ; and before they had found out that I had 

 gone down the ditch I had got out on- the other 

 side again, and ran to a corner, when I turned 

 through it again into another cross-hedge. By 

 these means I got clear off before they had another 

 sight of me, for they overran my Une of scent 

 a httle when they got back on the down on my 

 track. I well recollect hearing the huntsman 

 calhng loudly to the whipper-in to get on and 



