90 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



possibly because they were aware that they had left 

 a fox in the covert ; but, from his stopping, it might 

 not have appeared to them that a fox had gone on, 

 or they would not have taken it so leisurely. 



To this, then, do I attribute my escape ; for, 

 though they did hunt me for a mile or so, the time 

 was lost, and so too, of course, the scent ; this, added 

 to the impatience shown by the men who were out, 

 settled the business for me. An accident which had 

 lately occurred to Stephen, the huntsman, by which 

 his foot was injured, prevented him, I conclude, from 

 being every moment close to the hounds, when these 

 men were so anxious to get on, and the huntsman's 

 presence was so absolutely necessary to prevent 

 their doing mischief. However, I had no reason to 

 regret it, for I went straight across a fine country ; 

 though it was reported that I had returned to the 

 covert, which was not likely ; I may add, on this 

 occasion, that I went to the coverts at Comb, to 

 which place they also came to find another fox. 

 They did not cross the fine I had come, but passed 

 through part of a large covert where I had stopped, 

 without drawing it, expecting to find a fox at the 

 other end of it. 



Seeing this, I slipped back behind them, and was 

 stealing away, as I thought undiscovered (no un- 



