150 DKAWING COVERT. 



a run to himself with a few select friends, who 

 begin, perhaps, to talk of Jack being quite equal to 

 play first fiddle ; which is productive of great 

 coolness, if not the cut direct, between these indi- 

 viduals, and Jack in consequence becomes a sus- 

 pected and dangerous person. It is quite neces- 

 sary, however, that the first whipper-in should be 

 able to handle the pack upon emergencies, when 

 the huntsman may be ill, or disabled by a fall ; 

 and the fact of his being competent to do so has 

 also a beneficial effect upon his superior in office, 

 and prevents his entertaining too high an opinion 

 of himself. 



When drawing covert, the place of the first 

 whipper-in may be almost anywhere his genius 

 may direct him, except with the hounds, although 

 he must not be very far from them, and ready at a 

 moment's notice to lend assistance when required. 

 In small places, gorse or spinnies, he will be on 

 the look-out at the further end, and have the sense 

 to take care that when the fox looks out of his 

 hiding-place he is not scared by his red jacket or 

 red nose to look in again. I was once blessed 

 with a whipper-in who almost invariably hallooed 

 the fox back into covert. He could not help it. 

 Jack was composed of very excitable matter, and 

 no sooner did he view a fox than his mouth 



