SIGHTED AGAIN 153 



in the eyes that watched every opening between 

 the bushes, every avenue of escape. 



Suddenly, they — for the vixen was at his side 

 — sighted the hare as it crossed the bridge far 

 below. Instantly they were off. Twice Grey Fox 

 tumbled head over heels in his mad haste, but 

 the shaking made no difference to him : there 

 was no slackening in the speed with which he 

 led along the trail which presently recrossed the 

 stream to a plantation. Here, in their excite- 

 ment, first he then the vixen gave tongue on 

 the scent. Their sharp yaps fell like a death- 

 knell on the ears of the hare, who, believing 

 the pursuit was at an end, was loping leisurely 

 along the bank of the stream. For a moment 

 his heart sank within him, but only for a 

 moment ; the next he pulled himself together 

 and redoubled his pace, the thought of being 

 seized and gobbled up by Grey Fox acting 

 like a spur on his flagging energies. At a bound 

 he again recrossed the stream, sped across the 

 slope of the opposite hill in full view of the foxes 

 and headed for a gap at the top. 



The pursuers' plan was formed at once : they 

 would waylay him at the gap and seize him as 

 he passed. A hedge with a ditch on its further 

 side ran up the hill. At their utmost speed the 

 two foxes galloped along the ditch, gained the crest 



L 2 



