THE MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS 



prevent it, for as such you are autocratic, and 

 may even declare the run off, and go straight 

 home, should your field prove recalcitrant. Ex- 

 plain to them that their fun depends, now and in 

 future, on giving hounds plenty of room on road 

 or in field. When they find and "go away," go 

 on with the leaders and leave it to your whip to 

 get any stragglers away. English hounds will be 

 the better for a scream or two at this juncture, 

 and the tail hounds will fly to it. Ride your 

 own line and set your field an example in this 

 respect, taking the bitter with the sweet, and 

 giving your pets plenty of room by riding to 

 one side of them. A live fox generally turns 

 " down wind," but your drag hounds need not 

 be thus considered, for you will, as often as not, 

 have the scent laid the other way. Give them 

 room, therefore, and let them alone, save a word 

 of encouragement to those not hunting keenly ; 

 and be very careful how you encourage the lead- 

 ing hounds, the keenest and fastest, too extrava- 

 gantly. It is hard to refrain from cheering 

 honest old Bachelor, who is working every yard, 

 and carrying the head like the game old dog he is ; 

 but that arch scoundrel, Furious, may awaken to 

 his duties if you can really get him in conceit with 

 i8 273 



