70 COOLING HIM DOWN 



over they go ! " and away he went over a few fields into 

 another dingle, where the fox got to ground. 



" Confound you ! Squire," said Ducie, " if you had 

 halloa'd us out at first, we should have caught him 

 before he reached his earth ; what ails you this 

 morning ? *' 



" That stewed tench of yours last night has bothered 

 my vision not a little, and I feared making a mistake, 

 lest I might catch toco, like Sir Wheeler." 



" Well, well," he replied, " I was deucedly annoyed at 

 his being headed back again into that smoking-hot planta- 

 tion, where the sun was full in my face, without a breath 

 of air ; but I hope he is too good a fox-hunter to take 

 offence at my hasty expression ; — I will make him every 

 apology presently — but now — what's to be done with 

 this fox? " 



" Have him out by all manner of means ; — I'm good 

 for an hour's work with pick-axe and shovel, it will clear 

 the mist from my eyesight." 



" No, no. Squire, it won't do — the place is too strong 

 — we will go and find another the other side of the hill, 

 to put Sir Wheeler in good humour, with a gallop." 



After another hour with a fresh fox and a freshening 

 breeze — the hot breeze of the morning was entirely for- 

 gotten — ^we all returned home together in good spirits 

 and good fellowship as before. 



It was, I think, that same autumn, before regular 

 hunting commenced, that in returning from London I 

 took Benham in my road, intending to stay only one 

 night there ; when after dinner, Villebois, objecting to 

 my flying visit, begged me to remain another day. On 

 my demurring to his proposition, he said. " We have 

 been rather unlucky lately in handling our foxes, and I 



