THE LIFE OF A FOX. 23

safety, for at the time when we were all nearly
dead with toil and alarm, it seems she took an
opportunity of running across the wood in front
of the hounds, which soon got on her scent,
and followed her as she led them away for some
miles out of the covert. The huntsman then,
convinced that they had got on an old fox, as
soon as the men could stop the hounds, imme-
diately brought them back to the covert where
they had left us, hoping to kill one of us young
ones.

It was not till some time after this memorable
day, that we ventured to take up our quarters in
the wood again. Our mother thought it right to
take us away to a covert about two miles distant,
where, as the hounds only hunted cubs at this
early part of the season, there were no young
foxes; consequently, for that time, we were left
undisturbed, and soon began to feel as much at
home as in the covert which we had left. Had
it not been for the shooters, who frequently
came with their spaniels, we should have even

preferred it; and they so frequently moved