Final answer:
Rainsford cunningly evades General Zaroff and his pursuing hounds by (c) setting a trap, enabling his escape in "The Most Dangerous Game."
Step-by-step explanation:
In Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," Rainsford escapes General Zaroff and his hounds by utilizing his resourcefulness and survival skills. After Ivan's demise, Rainsford employs a strategy of setting a trap, creating a complex Malay man-catcher using a springy young sapling and his knife.
This trap proves effective, eliminating Zaroff's pursuing hounds and allowing Rainsford to evade capture. While hiding in a tree and swimming to an island were parts of his earlier survival tactics, the immediate escape from Zaroff's imminent threat is accomplished through the strategic use of the man-catcher trap.