FOXES AND THE EVERLASTING QUESTION 173 
On many a shoot there would be quite a good 
number of wild-bred pheasants if it were not for 
foxes. As it is, the holders of shoots must go to 
the expense of rearing pheasants (the net cost of 
which is considerably increased by the presence of 
foxes), or go without, unless they care to run the 
risk of being made a kind of sporting scapegoat by 
hunting-people who have no understanding of the 
word ‘selfishness.’ There is a story of a keeper who 
had been treated with harshness by a hunt till he 
became tired of it. The question of foxes was left 
to his discretion. It came to pass that a meet was 
appointed to draw this keeper’s coverts, when the 
following conversation took place between him and 
the master. J7.: ‘Any foxesabout?’ .: ‘Plenty.’ 
M.: ‘Where are they? X.: ‘Gone to ground.’ 
The keeper spoke the truth in grim earnest. 
There is an increasing number of keepers whose 
employers have no prejudiced objection to foxes 
and hunting, provided their game and shooting do 
not suffer obviously. The keepers are told that 
game is the attraction; on the question of foxes 
there is discreet silence. It is to the everlasting 
credit of keepers without end that, prompted by the 
sympathy of true sportsmanship, they try to do what 
often might work smoothly, if hunting-people would 
forsake dictatorial ways and accept suggestions. A 
keeper is bound to serve only one master, but in the 
cause of sport often is ‘willing to take the risk of 
