302 Next to the Ground 



also that they will not be able to "jump him," 

 but must follow a running start. 



A red fox runs as long as there are men and 

 dogs to follow. An especially game and wiry 

 fellow may run across three counties, and 

 break down as many packs coming in success- 

 ively to chase him. It is accepted as a fact 

 among Tennessee fox-hunters that without 

 fresh dogs you may never hope to run down a 

 red fellow. Notwithstanding, there is a story 

 current there of a North Carolina pack master 

 who went out one fine fall morning and got a 

 big red fox afoot. The pack were all blue- 

 mottles, in the pink of condition, thin as lath, 

 but in hard muscle, and perfect as to wind and 

 feet. The pack master rode a thoroughbred 

 hunter, a son of the great Sir Archy — for all 

 this happened in the good old, very old days. 

 He rode with the nicest judgment, sparing his 

 dogs and his mount all he might. The hunt 

 began about daylight in the extreme eastern 

 edge of a county. At sundown, in spite of 

 doubles, it crept over the lines of a second 

 county into a third lying westerly. All but 

 three dogs had turned tail, and were slinking 

 home, hobbling on worn-out feet. The mas- 

 ter followed for two hours longer guided by the 

 baying of the three staunch ones ahead. Then 

 he too gave up the chase, blew his horn in re- 

 call, and sought shelter for the night. But 



