30 THE LIFE OF A FOX,

trived to extend my rambles, till I was ac-
quainted with a great part of the country. Oc-
casionally lying in my kennel, if in an open
covert, and hearing a pack of hounds. in full
cry near, I moved off in an opposite direction,
but sometimes not without being seen by some
of the wide and skirting hunters, who lost their
day’s sport in riding after me, and halloomg
“Tally-o!” but I always kept quiet in my
kennel when I heard hounds in full cry, if I
happened to be in a strong gorse covert. Thus
passed off the greater part of the first winter of
my life. | !

On one occasion I was lying im rather an
exposed: place by the side of a pit, in the middle
of a field, when I saw a man. pass by on horse-
back, who, on seeing me, stopped, and, after look-
ing a short time, rode on. Till the noise of his
horse’s feet was out of hearing I listened, and
then stole. away, which was most fortunate, for
in the course of a few hours the hounds were
brought to the pit, the man having told the

huntsman where he had seen me, as he thought,