104 THE BEST SEASON OX RECORD. 



side. Third discharge completely routs the enemy. 

 Now for pursuit, brave boys ! 



Reynard's five yards start, however, proved quite 

 enough for him. From that moment until after 3 '30, 

 hounds were busy trying to catch him, or his substitutes 

 — but went home with no nearer acquaintance with that 

 bright red fur than when it shone before their wistful 

 eyes from its lofty perch, or dangled a moment ere it 

 descended almost on their noses. They hustled him up 

 and down the precincts of river and railway, past 

 Burbage's Covert and back into Stapleford Park — in one 

 of the wet furrows of which he lay gasping, till half a 

 dozen throats grew hoarse in holloaing over him, and 

 while the pack vainly sought a clue below the House. 

 Cooled and refreshed, he then preceded hounds into 

 Laxton's Covert, and then perhaps climbed another tree 

 — for it was a dark black fox that now played a long 

 game of hide-and-seek amid the privet. " A bad fox" 

 of course we dubbed him — one and all of us, from the 

 line-hunting veteran of sixty to the coming Nimrods 

 twixt six and sixteen, who are blossoming now like 

 Christmas roses, and who wanted to be off and away. 

 We all thought we knew something of foxes ; and we all 

 said something of this one — because our tongues must 

 wag, and because we failed to see that a fox would not 

 be forced in a direction contrary to his bent. For, after 

 all, he stuck to his point and made his way — across the 

 broad park, round its farther limits, over the railway by 

 the level crossing, and on beyond Wymondham Roughs. 

 We galloped the flat heartily ; and then had a sharp 



