THE MOUNTAIN-FOX. 319 



After choosing our passes between the pinewood and 

 copse, we sent a first-rate old hound to draw the latter ; 

 scarcely had it been in the cover ten minutes, when it 

 opened upon a cold scent, and continued puzzling for a 

 considerable time. As this was not its wont when upon a 

 roe, we half suspected a fox : presently the scent warmed, 

 and in a short time the hound opened gaily. Our hopes 

 were high, as it came straight in the direction of our 

 passes. In a moment I heard my brother fire : and the 

 baying of the hound ceasing shortly after, I concluded the 

 shot had taken effect, and walked off to see what he had 

 killed. When I had gone a little distance, I met him 

 running and calling to me to get into my pass again, as he 

 had shot at an enormous fox in the thickest part of the 

 cover ; and as it had doubled back, which had occasioned 

 the check, it would most likely try my pass next. I 

 wheeled about at full speed, and arrived just too late for a 

 deadly shot. When within seventy yards of the pass, the 

 fox was bounding over the stone wall that divides the 

 copse from the pine-wood, and presenting his broadside, a 

 very distant but clear and open shot. I discharged both 

 barrels, and watched narrowly to see if he was hit ; the 

 ground was level for a short way, and no abatement of his 

 speed was perceptible ; but as soon as he began to climb 

 the hill, a labouring motion at once told that one of us had 

 wounded him. Without stopping to load, I ran to see if 

 there was blood upon the grass, and when thus engaged, 

 the hound, which had recovered the track, came up full 

 cry. I had no choice left but to breast the hill, and, if 



