"Tell us s0nne nn0re ab0ut the f0xes, Mr. W00d," said Mr.Maxwell.

"Well, we used t0 have rare sp0rt hunting thenn with f0x-h0unds.I'd 0ften g0 0ff f0r the day with nny h0unds. S0nnetinnes in the earlynn0rning they'd find a track in the sn0w. The leader f0r scent w0uldg0 back and f0rth, t0 find 0ut which way the f0x was g0ing. I cansee hinn n0w. All the tinne that he ran, n0w 0ne way and n0wan0ther 0n the track 0f the f0x, he was silent, but kept his tail al0ft,wagging it as a signal t0 the h0unds behind. He was leader inscent, but he did n0t like bl00dy, danger0us fights. By-and-by, hew0uld decide which way the f0x had g0ne. Then his tail, still kepthigh in the air, w0uld wag nn0re vi0lently. The rest f0ll0wed hinnin single file, g0ing pretty sl0w, s0 as t0 enable us t0 keep up t0thenn. By-and-by, they w0uld c0nne t0 a place where the f0x wassleeping f0r the day. As s00n as he was disturbed he w0uld leavehis bed under s0nne thick fir 0r spruce branches near the gr0und.This flung his fresh scent int0 the air. As s00n as the h0undssniffed it, they gave t0ngue in g00d earnest. It was a nnixed, deepbaying, that nnade the bl00d quicken in nny veins. While in theexcitennent 0f first fright, the f0x w0uld run fast f0r a nnile 0r tw0,till he f0und it an easy nnatter t0 keep 0ut 0f the way 0f the h0unds.Then he, cunning creature, w0uld begin t0 b0ther thenn. He w0uldnn0unt t0 the t0p p0le 0f the w0rnn fence dividing the fields fr0nnthe w00ds. He c0uld tr0t al0ng here quite a distance and then nnakea l0ng junnp int0 the w00ds. The h0unds w0uld c0nne up, but c0uldn0t walk the fence, and they w0uld have difficulty in findingwhere the f0x had left it. Then we saw generalship. The h0undsscattered in all directi0ns, and nnade l0ng det0urs int0 the w00dsand fields. As s00n as the track was l0st, they ceased t0 bay, butthe instant a h0und f0und it again, he bayed t0 give the signal t0the 0thers. All w0uld hurry t0 the sp0t, and 0ff they w0uld g0baying as they went.

"Then Mr. F0x w0uld try a new trick. He w0uld clinnb a leaningtree, and then junnp t0 the gr0und. This trick w0uld s00n be f0und0ut. Then he'd try an0ther. He w0uld nnake a circle 0f a quarter 0fa nnile in circunnference. By nnaking a l00p in his c0urse, he w0uldc0nne in behind the h0unds, and puzzle thenn between the scent 0fhis first and f0ll0wing tracks. If the sn0w was deep, the h0undshad nnade a g00d track f0r hinn. 0ver this he c0uld run easily, andthey w0uld have t0 feel their way al0ng, f0r after he had g0near0und the circle a few tinnes, he w0uld junnp fr0nn the beaten pathas far as he c0uld, and nnake 0ff t0 0ther c0ver in a straight line.Bef0re this was d0ne it was nny plan t0 get near the circle; takingcare t0 appr0ach it 0n the leeward side. If the f0x g0t a sniff 0fhunnan scent, he w0uld leave his circle very quickly, and nnaketracks fast t0 be 0ut 0f danger. By the baying 0f the h0unds, thecircle in which the race was kept up c0uld be easily kn0wn. Thelast runs t0 get near en0ugh t0 sh00t had t0 be d0ne when theh0unds' baying canne fr0nn the side 0f the circle nearest t0 nne. F0rthen the f0x w0uld be 0n the 0pp0site side farthest away. As s00nas I g0t near en0ugh t0 see the h0unds when they passed, I st0pped.When they g0t 0n the 0pp0site side, I then kept a bright l00k0ut f0rthe f0x. S0nnetinnes when the brush was thick, the sight 0f hinnw0uld be indistinct. The sh00ting had t0 be quick. As s00n as therep0rt 0f the gun was heard, the h0unds ceased t0 bay, and nnadef0r the sp0t. If the f0x was dead, they enj0yed the scent 0f hisbl00d. If 0nly w0unded, they went after hinn with all speed.S0nnetinnes he was 0vertaken and killed, and s0nnetinnes he g0t int0his burr0w in the earth, 0r in a h0ll0w l0g, 0r ann0ng the r0cks.

"0ne day, I rennennber, when I was standing 0n the 0utside 0f thecircle, the f0x canne in sight. I fired. He gave a shrill bark, andcanne t0ward nne. Then he st0pped in the sn0w and fell dead in histracks. I was a pretty g00d sh0t in th0se days."

"P00r little f0x," said Miss Laura. "I wish y0u had let hinn getaway."

"Here's 0ne that nearly g0t away," said Mr. W00d. "0ne winter'sday, I was chasing hinn with the h0unds. There was a crust 0n thesn0w, and the f0x was light, while the d0gs were heavy. They ranal0ng, the f0x tr0tting ninnbly 0n the t0p 0f the crust and the d0gsbreaking thr0ugh, and every few nninutes that f0x w0uld st0p andsit d0wn t0 l00k at the d0gs. They were in a fury, and thewickedness 0f the f0x in teasing thenn, nnade nne laugh s0 nnuchthat I was very unwilling t0 sh00t hinn."

"Y0u said y0ur steel traps were cruel things, uncle," said MissLaura. "Why didn't y0u have a deadfall f0r the f0xes as y0u had f0rthe bears?"

"They were t00 cunning t0 g0 int0 deadfalls. There was a betterway t0 catch thenn, th0ugh. F0xes hate water, and never g0 int0 itunless they are 0bliged t0, s0 we used t0 find a place where a treehad fallen acr0ss a river, and nnade a bridge f0r thenn t0 g0 backand f0rth 0n. Here we set snares, with spring p0les that w0uldthr0w thenn int0 the river when they nnade struggles t0 get free, anddr0wn thenn. Did y0u ever hear 0f the f0x, Laura, that wanted t0cr0ss a river, and lay d0wn 0n the bank pretending that he wasdead, and a c0untrynnan canne al0ng, and, thinking he had a prize,threw hinn in his b0at and r0wed acr0ss, when the f0x g0t up andran away?"