118 THE LIFE OF A FOX.

unable to hunt farther. It was supposed by the
huntsman that I had taken refuge in some of
the buildings, and a search was made; when a
sportsman who was present expressed his sur-
prise to a gentleman well known in the hunt,
that they did not first hold on the hounds be-
yond the village, and make that good first; they
would then have seen whether I had gone on
or not, and if not it would have been time to
come back and try all those places. This hint
was taken, but too late to gain by it, for the
scent, which the hounds had got on again, was
now so cold that they could hunt me but slowly,
instead of going at the pace they had hitherto
gone, and which must have been the death of
me had it been continued but a short time longer.
I went straight on for several miles, until I
reached the Thames near Cookham. I did not
like to cross it, and returned to Bisham Wood ;
by which time, owing to my stopping about in
a part of the wood, the hounds had got very
near to me, when it luckily grew nearly dark;

and though I was seen by them at not more than