THE HUNTED STAG. 155 



almost touching, and then jumps. If he 

 can find another stag that he can master, he 

 will drive him up so that the hounds may 

 follow him, and lie down in the other's 

 " bed," holding his breath so that the hounds 

 shall not scent him, for the scent lies chiefly 

 in the breath. 



The huntsman saw a stag leap up some 

 height from the path, drive another out, and 

 lie down himself in the furze. The stag 

 thus roused took the first stag's place so 

 completely, that the hounds went on with- 

 out a check, passing close to, and under the 

 first stag. Had not the huntsman seen it, 

 it would not have been known. He called 

 the hounds back, and restarted the first stag, 

 so that had it not been for the man the stag 

 would have beaten the hounds. Indeed, it 

 would seem as if this would often be the 

 case did not the intelligence of man come 

 to their aid. 



