168 SYSTEM OF KENNEL A'ND 



When the fox is found, the second whipper-in 

 must keep as near the hounds as possible, still 

 prepared to attend to any directions from the 

 huntsman, with his ears well open to receive them. 

 When the fox breaks covert, it is his business to 

 bring on any tail-hounds that may remain behind. 

 This duty is not perhaps, sometimes, a very agree- 

 able one, yet, being indispensable, Jack must be 

 content to perform it, and the quicker and better 

 it is done, the more fun he will have by seeing the 

 run out from beginning to end. If, however, it is 

 done in a slovenly way, and some hounds still left 

 in the covert, he will be sent back by the huntsman 

 to collect them together and bring them on, which 

 will throw Jack out of his anticipated amusement, 

 and teach him a lesson which, if he is worth in- 

 struction, need not be repeated, that so long as a 

 single hound remains in covert, when the puck have 

 left it, he has no business out of it. 



AYe have written enough to show that the task 

 allotted to a second whipper-in is not such as can 

 rl'onned by a boy who can merely crack a 

 whip. He in u.t be bred up to his profession from 

 early youth, as assistant to tlie huntsman in and 

 about the kennels, also an occasional helper in the 

 stab 1 1', and to ride- hoises out to exercise, whereby 

 lie may acquire a good seat on horseback, as well 

 as how to handle the reins, since the knowledge of 

 hunting and managing hounds would be of little 

 avail to him without the former qualifications. 

 The dismounted duties of the whipper-in will de- 

 pend upon the establishment. If not required to 



