FOX-HUNTIXG 209 



and spur for his consideration ; for on level ground 

 Johnnj' does not mind galloping. 



Suddenly the leaders stop. Hounds have checked, 

 and no doubt the country lad there, sitting on a gate 

 scaring crows, has frightened him from the line. Hounds 

 are puzzling it out^vhen Johnny arrives, and he is about 

 to walk his pony into the midst of them when an angry 

 command from the huntsman to go back and get out of 

 the way sends him rearwards; and he hates Tommy 

 more than ever, as he. sees the master leaning down 

 from his horse and talking to him. The master, indeed, 

 is pleased with the lad, who is intelligent and plucky, 

 and has asked a sensible question about scent. The 

 master is explaining something of the mysteries of this 

 volatile essence : how sometimes the fox seems to leave 

 it by the ^Dressure of his pads, and how at other times 

 scent apparently floats in the air above the fox's line, 

 or not always actually above, for, he remarks, hounds 

 will often run hard along one side of a fence when it is 

 known that the fox has passed down the other side. 

 Again, there are occasions when the scent seems to be 

 in suspension. Hounds can make nothing of it at a 

 certain place ; they cast themselves, return some 

 minutes afterwards to the precise spot where they had 

 formerly failed, and the scent is then strong. He also 

 told the lad how carefully hounds will work at a check, 

 some, of course, with far more industry and judgment 

 than others ; for there are hounds which only pretend 

 to hunt, making no real effort, and deceitfully joining in 

 the cry when another winds the fox, though in truth the 

 shufflers have detected nothing, and cannot at all confirm 

 their companion ; but hounds know quite well which of 

 their brethren is trustworthy. 



