An October Afternoon 



then at a fair holding pace — checking occasion- 

 ally but always improving their position — till 

 they had been running a couple of hours alto- 

 gether, and then, just as they had worked up 

 to their fox, he managed to beat them into 

 some strong rabbit earths. 



It was after three o'clock. Messrs Jones and 

 Robinson had gone home, voting the proceed- 

 ings slow and " doosid uncomfortable, don't 

 cher know ? " and so there was no dissentient 

 voice when our huntsman expressed his inten- 

 tion to have his fox at whatever cost of time 

 and trouble. Hounds were baying angrily at the 

 earth ; the first whipper-in was dispatched for a 

 spade and terrier; and as a close inspection 

 showed that digging was likely to be a long job, 

 and as, moreover, a steady rain was setting in, 

 only two or three remained to be of what assist- 

 ance they might to the huntsman. 



Few of my readers, perhaps, have any idea 



of the difficulties which attend the digging out 



of a fox. Digging is, of course, easy enough ; 



but digging for a fox is one thing and getting 



him is another, and considerable skill is required 



61 



