But they did not ride away. It happened that those who were in the lead were unaware of the tradition of the country, and so they began to dig him out, this old king of foxes, who had felt himself secure in his castle!
They set the dogs at one end, and fetched mattocks and spades from the stable.
Pip and Eve were among them. Pip directing, Eve mad with the excitement of it all.
Little François, watching, clung to Nancy. "Oh, they can't, they mustn't!"
She soothed him, and at last sent Milly out, but they would not listen.
Nancy and Sulie were as white now as little François. "Oh, where is Richard?" Nancy said. "It is like murder to do a thing like that. It is bad enough in the open—but like a rat—in a trap."
The big bay was charging down the hill with Richard yelling at the top of his voice. The bay had proved troublesome and had bolted in the wrong direction, but Richard had brought him back to Crossroads just in time!
François screamed. "It is Dr. Dicky. He'll make them stop. He'll make them."
He did make them. His voice rang sharply. "Get the dogs away, Meade, and stop digging."
They were too eager at first to heed him. Eve hung on his arm, but he shook her off. "We don't like things like that down here. Our foxes are too rare."