120 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



" Will, where's the terrier ? " 



" Got none, my lord." 



" Was ever the Uke ? Seventeen years I have 

 hunted with these hounds, and though every field 

 in this country is full of drains, they have never 

 had a terrier that was worth hanging. Jack, go 

 and fetch the farmer's terrier ; be off like a shot ! 

 How can they expect to save their poultry if they 

 do not put gratings to their drains ? Without 

 them it is impossible for hounds to kill their 

 foxes." 



Having by this time recovered my breath, I 

 began to move away from the entrance, when to 

 my surprise I found that there were no less than 

 three foxes in the drain beside myself. Having with 

 great difficulty forced myself past the first I came 

 against, and whilst waiting anxiously the result, 

 we were all much frightened by suddenly seeing a 

 glimpse of light some distance up the drain beyond 

 us. The men had dug a hole through the top of 

 the drain at that spot ; and shortly after this we 

 heard them trying to force a rough terrier of the 

 real INIakerston breed to enter ; they at length 

 succeeded, when he immediately came down straight 

 towards us. Not a little alarmed, and each of us 

 struggling and striving to get away first, out we 



