THE LIFE OF A FOX. 25

back into the covert again, and then they will get
settled to a cub.—In-hoick ! e-dhoick ! e-dhoick !”
I listened with breathless fear, and soon heard
the rustling of hounds on every side of me, then
a solitary slight whimpering, and Foster’s cheer,
“ Have at him, Truemaid; hoick! hoick !” These
to my ears most frightful sounds sent every
hound to the same spot; and I started from my
kennel, and got as fast as I could to the other
side of the gorse. I soon gladly returned, and
meeting an old dog-fox, that at first I mistook
for a hound, dashed away on one side, before the
pack had crossed my line. They ran by me, and
continued following the old fox, till I heard
* Tally-o! gone away;” with a smacking of
whips, and “hoick back, hoick back ;” then for
a few minutes all silent; and then again the
same terrible tongues drove me from my quarters.
They were not in pursuit of me in particular, but
running after either my mother, or one of the rest
or all of us, divided as they were into different lots,
One of these at last got fast on my track, and
away I went straight to the earth where we were

Cc