REYNARD OUTPACED 29 



seemed hours, the jack moved towards him. 

 Another yard and his fate would be sealed. But 

 he stopped to scratch one of his ears ; and when 

 he was about to advance again there came from 

 out the stillness a breath of wind laden with 

 the foul scent of the marauder. Quicker than 

 thought the affrighted creature whipped round 

 and followed his mother and sister, who were 

 already in full retreat. As the leveret turned, 

 the fox made a tremendous spring, but he landed 

 four feet short and could only make a frantic 

 effort to overtake it. For a score yards or so 

 the chase was most exciting, neither gained nor 

 lost ; but the terrific pace was beyond the power 

 of the fox to maintain, and as he fell behind the 

 jack drew farther and farther away, increasing 

 his lead so much that presently reynard desisted 

 from pursuit. Panting he stood and watched, 

 craning his neck to get a last view as the con- 

 spicuous scuts disappeared from sight. Then, 

 after a glance at the sky, the disappointed hunter 

 made back over the moor, slowly at first but 

 quickening his pace as he went, his neat foot- 

 prints commingling here and there in the soft 

 ground with the nail-pricks of the hares. 



The hares, on discovering that the fox had 

 given up pursuit, slackened speed, and when 

 they reached Brea Farm lingered awhile to 



