He had become skillful and cunning like the real fox.
He knew that the horsemen were not trailers.

They could not follow him by his footsteps on the hard ground, and he took full advantage of it.
Yet they utilized their numbers and pursued in a long line.

Once, two of them would have galloped directly upon him, but just before they came in sight he threw himself flat in a shallow gully and pulled over his body a mass of fallen leaves.
The two men rode within ten yards of him.

Had they not been so eager they would have seen him, as his body was but partly covered.

But they looked only in front, thinking that the fugitive was still running ahead of them through the forest, and galloped on.
As soon as they were out of sight Harry rose and followed.