124 Memoir of Tom Smith. 



in the course of a few minutes lie was lieard 

 ajDparently baying at an earth. Mr. Smith 

 rode up, and saw the fox, with his back close 

 to a furze-bush, fighting with the hound. He 

 got behind, and dropped the thong of his whip 

 close to the mouth of the fox, who bit at it : 

 this settled him, as Mr. Smith at once twisted 

 the lash round his mouth, and catching him 

 by the poll, carried him out of the cover. A 

 gentleman who was passing brought back 

 the pack, and they soon ate him. 



Mr. Smith, whilst at Kelso, often hunted 

 with Lord Elcho'S pack, which was a splendid 

 one, and he had some good sport with them. 

 The Duke of Euccleuch also had a clever j)ack, 

 though not so j^owerful as Lord Elcho's. Mr. 

 Smith hunted with them also, and found the 

 huntsman, Old Will, as Lord John Scott used 

 to call him, a faiiish huntsman and excellent 

 servant, indeed far superior to what one often 

 meets with. Lord Elcho was a particularly 

 affable, agreeable man, a capital shot and fly- 



