54 THE LIFE OF A FOX,

sure owing to our quickness of sight, and to our
not having to hunt a scent, so that our atten-
tion is not diverted. I believe I owed to these
very flints the salvation of my life, as they obliged
the hounds to go more slowly over them, and
thus afforded me more time. $

The autumn had nearly passed, and being un-
disturbed by hounds, I flattered myself that I
was safe; but my dream soon vanished; for
it appeared that the only reason why they had
not disturbed me was, that they are not allowed
to hunt in the forest so early as is done in
other countries. I was soon alarmed by hearing
at intervals Mr. Codrington’s deep voice, so unlike
the style of the huntsmen by whom I had been
hunted ih other parts. The hounds appeared
to understand it well enough, and as they soon
spread through the covert adj oining that where
I lay, I stole away to some distance, where I
remained within hearing of them. It was a long
time before they left the first covert, as it hap-
pened to be one in which I had been moving

about when searching for food, and consequently