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 Promptly as the hounds gave the signal, that the chase was on, Bud Holcome took up a commanding position in the spreading chestnut tree about twenty rods from the barway, where Redcoat had done his disappearance act for two successive runs. Bud's conscience was not quite clear about taking part in the hunt as he had promised Kitty Mason he would not shoot or trap the fox, but with this arrangement he was only a looker-on, besides he had a great curiosity to see where the fox did go as the whole matter was inexplicable to him. Bud had participated in many fox hunts, but never before from the side lines. In other hunts he had been right in the thick of the battle. He had carried a gun and been as eager as anyone to get the fox, but now he saw the hunt for the first time as a spectator, without prejudice.

As in the two runs before, Redcoat took the baying pack and the galloping horsemen four miles to the east and then returned to the Holcome farm. When he came back Bud got a good view of him. He saw him