SANDY'S STORY 113 



however, was too rapid to allow time for much 

 curiosity. This was enough to make me go my 

 best pace straight across the moor for four miles, 

 and then a mile or two beyond, over fields, till I 

 reached a hanging covert on a steep by the side of 

 the Whitadder River, at which time the hounds 

 were not more than four hundred yards from me. 

 Although they did not see me, they ran the whole 

 way as if they really did. 



Here, although there was soon another fox or 

 two moving, they still went on with my scent ; for 

 with the most unerring judgment this huntsman 

 kept the pack from changing, till at length I crossed 

 the river and over the moor on the other side to a 

 place of refuge, a crevice in a rock, for I could 

 not go farther. The gentlemen rode up, and I heard 

 these words : " Well, I never saw a finer run. 

 During the fii'st four miles the tail hounds never 

 got to the head at all, though not one hundred 

 yards behind those that were leading when they 

 first started." 



On other occasions I have saved my hfe in a 



similar way, but a circumstance occurred which 



almost made me resolve never again to resort to a 



drain. I was one night crossing a farm, not many 



miles from Dunse, when I heard cries as of a fox in 



I 



