THE LIFE OF A FOX. 45

flying over it after me, and at the next fence
I turned short to the right as soon as I had
cleared it. They were driven a little beyond
it before they turned, which gave me a trifling
advantage. I now continued to gain ground in
advance of the pack, and though they never
once were at fault, or lost the scent for a
minute, and went on several miles across open
downs into Sussex, still I kept on, determined
to save my life.

I had gone full nine miles, as straight as [|
could go, and had just turned for the first time
to the right, and was ascending the top of the
highest point of the down, when, to my great
joy, I saw the hounds stopping, and trying in
vain to recover the scent, which was destroyed by
my having run through a large flock of sheep.
They now could not hunt the scent a step
further, though on the middle of an open down;
and such was the disappointment and chagrin
occasioned by it to Sebright, that he was heard
by a friend of mine to say, that if the *squire
would give him a thousand a year, he would