A CRITICAL MOMENT. 271 



round and showed fight. The first time he charged he was 

 speared badly, and did not give much more trouble. 



We had two capital gallops directly afterwards, in both 

 cases killing our boar. The fourth boar, a gaunt-looking 

 beast, with enormous tusks and very quick on his legs, gave 

 us a long run. After he was speared he stood at bay in 

 some prickly bushes, and nothing could induce him to come 

 nut. We galloped round and round shouting at him, but 

 all to no purpose. 



At last Alan got off his horse, and taking a couple 

 of clods of earth, flung one of them right at the boar. 

 His head happened to be in my direction, and, with a 

 couple of snorts like the puff, puff, of a railway engine 

 starting, he came straight at my horse. I had no spear, 

 and should not have known how to use it if I had, so 

 rode all I knew, and fled at the top speed' I could o- e t 

 out of my old hunter, who, I feel certain, had the meanest 

 opinion of me for not showing fight. Alan raced after us, 

 and the boar, turning slightly as he came up, received 

 a spear full behind his shoulder. The force of the shock 

 sent the head right through the boar, who dropped dead 

 in his tracks without another movement. The steel spear- 

 head was broken clean off, and fell out on the opposite 

 side. When they turned the boar over, it was found 

 lying on the ground underneath him. 



The fifth boar, a huge fellow, almost blue in colour, 



