200 WOLF-HUNTING. 



the rocks on the opposite heights, but, holding on still to the 

 same sideland, neither sinking nor breasting the hill, they trust to- 

 their legs and endeavour to shake off by wild flight the pursuit 

 of the foe. So those peasant sharpshooters, posted by Louis on 

 certain points of the stream, usually crossed by the pigs, never 

 fire a shot ; and a rattling good run is the fortunate result. For 

 two hours or more the roar of war never flags for a moment ; and 

 although twelve couple of hounds are close on their haunches, 

 the pigs are still making strong running in front of the fray. 



" Oh that Kergoorlas were here ! " shouts Keryfan to me, 

 " just to hear that grand peal ringing through the vale ; it would 

 drive him half wild with delight." 



The wish had scarcely been uttered, when we heard a clatter 

 in our rear; and looking round, to our intense amazement, we 

 beheld Kergoorlas coming up at a hand-gallop, his horse flecked 

 with foam, and four couple of great, grim, wire-haired hounds 

 following on close to his heels. The wild huntsman of the Black 

 Forest could scarcely have startled us more than Kergoorlas's 

 company at such a moment ; and before we could inquire by 

 what lucky spell he had been able to join us, he roared out, " I 

 heard them a league off, and thought I should never catch you ! 

 But what a scent ; and what music ! " 



Not another word did he fling to us, as he dashed past on 

 Grenadier, eager to throw his fresh lot in at the head to increase 

 the volume of music he so dearly loved to hear ; and it was at 

 least three hours afterwards ere we learned the cause of his 

 welcome but most unexpected reappearance among us. It 

 turned out that, immediately on our departure for Kilvern, he 

 had gone to the hospital, and hearing a favourable report of both 

 patients the braconnier having recovered consciousness, and the 

 piqueur's delirium indicating an abatement satisfactory to the 

 medical officer he ordered Grenadier to be saddled, and gather- 

 ing together four couple of hounds all that were effective of his 



