68 THE LIFE OF A FOX.

The following year, I was again surprised by
hearing the voice of another strange huntsman,
before I knew that hounds were just coming into
the wood. However, this notice was sufficient
to prepare me for a start. Soon after I had
moved from my kennel, a single hound threw
his tongue. Mr. Smith gave a very loud cheer,
and every hound appeared at once to be run- -
ning on the scent. This so frightened me that
I lost no time in leaving the covert, and taking
my way straight to the forest, where other foxes
were soon moved by hearing the hounds: I
this time also escaped. Not feeling however quite
safe, I resorted to a plan which had been adopted
by other foxes before. I contrived to crawl up
the side of a large oak tree, by means of some
small branches which grew out of its trunk
near the bottom, and the stems of Ivy which
covered it further up. At a considerable distance
from the ground I found a desirable spot to rest
upon, where the large branches, about which was
a thick patch of the ivy, divided. To this place I

resorted every morning for a long time, and