114 THE rOX EAIKLY AWAY. 



liuntsman, to make him break. On the fox making 

 his appearance outside the covert, you may dis- 

 pense with the formahty or civihty shown to foxes 

 generally by enthusiastic sportsmen, of taking off 

 your hat and wishing him good morning ; and it 

 will be fortunate (supposing a large field assem- 

 bled) if he is not turned back by some comph- 

 ment of this sort into the hounds' mouths. 



When the fox is fairly away (should the scene 

 be laid in the fashionable shires of Leicester or 

 Northampton) it is not improbable that a couple 

 of hundred of the finest fellows in the world will 

 be immediately in his wake before a hound makes 

 his appearance outside the covert. This, no doubt, 

 is a very ticklish moment for a nervous man and a 

 fidgety horse ; but keep your own and your 

 horse's temper within bounds. Your business 

 is with the hounds, not with the horsemen, if 

 you aspire to the character of a true sports- 

 man. Let these liarey-starey fellows go — wait for 

 the hounds — at least, until the first few couples 

 have settled down to the scent; then, with one 

 eye on them and the other forward to your fence, 

 go along. Ride wide of the pack, about fifty yards 

 right or left, as the wind may be, taking care to 

 keep under it, but, above all, avoid riding on the 

 line of the hounds, lest the death of Jupiter or 



