544 BIG gamp: of north America. 



"Tally-ho!" from the keen-eyed Jenkins, and Reynard 

 hove in view, coming over the fence at the far side of the 

 field in which we were, and making almost direct for our 

 position. Not a hundred yards behind came Vanity, fol- 

 lowed quickly by Juno and several Crawford hounds, with 

 Rogue and Frowner; the rest strung out a little, but com- 

 ing well along. It w^as obvious that the Fox knew that he 

 must do his best, or die; his manner and aspect showed as 

 much. He had now run, almost without a break or pause, 

 fully twenty miles, and there were six miles before him 

 before he could gain the friendly cover of Negro Mountain. 

 Once there, he would be safe; but could he get there? My 

 father said not, in his opinion, and so we all believed; for 

 the next six miles was wholly favorable to the dogs. It 

 however abounded with earths, and as Swartz jmt it: 



"I'm afraid he'll den under some of those cliffs, and we 

 can't get him out." 



" I think not," said my father; "but he may." 



On we sped for awiiile, beyond the mouth of Beaver Dam, 

 from whence Broad Rock was once more in view, half a 

 mile to the left; but the chase was nOw up the creek-bot- 

 toms, clinging to the meanderings of the stream. Passing 

 round in front of the pack, along the arc of the horseshoe 

 curve, we had a straight mile stretch. 



" I want to see them across this bottom," said my father, 

 "and then I think I can tell how it will be for a cer- 

 tainty." 



"Tally-ho-ooo!" from several horsemen, and Reynard 

 swung around the bend before us, a hundred yards off, fol- 

 lowed now within sixty yards by the pack, well closed up; 

 and as they broke from cover and caught sight, a grand 

 chorus saluted our ears, which had in it the unmistakable 

 do or die. There was now before us a view-chase of nearly 

 a mile, and we followed hard upon the hounds — the sight, 

 the fury of the cry, carrying us almost beyond ourselves 

 with an excitement which enthused, with one common im- 

 pulse, rider, horse, and hounds, and must have carried 

 terror to the heart of poor Reynard. 



