104 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



absolutely necessary for his hounds to devour the 

 animal they have been hunting, that their ardour in 

 the chase may be increased. I have been sorely 

 hunted by them, my friends, and not until they 

 had won the day, and run up to their object, did 

 they relax — not till then were they satisfied. 



Again I would ask, why should our enemy wish 

 to slaughter us when seeking refuge in an earth, up 

 to which his hounds have hunted ? seeing that those 

 hounds so plainly show their contentment with 

 having succeeded, and done all that was required 

 of them. 



All. " Bravo ! bravo ! well said, thou bold 

 Dragoon ! " 



" Now, Berkshire, we pray thee tell us whether 

 thou dost hke a royal neighbourhood; whether 

 thou art safer, and whether thy treatment there is 

 preferable to our own. Tell us all that thou canst, 

 as thou livest nearer to those parts than most of us 

 do." 



