240 WOLF-HUNTING. 



encouraged to hold the line of drag to within a short distance 

 of Dualt, then stopped, and taken to Callac for the night. At 

 break of day we shall be at him again (for Callac is on the 

 outskirts of the forest), and then, I trust, we shall get on better 

 terms with this wary customer." 



"A pleasant programme enough," I rejoined, " provided the 

 necessary accommodation can be found for your hounds and 

 horses in that primitive little town. Of course you will return to 

 Carhaix for the night ? " 



" By no means," said the Louvetier. " M. Thomas's hotel 

 has ample accommodation for all ; and as it is so conveniently 

 near the forest, it will save us ten leagues of road work if we rest 

 there instead of returning to Carhaix." 



" That is, doubtless, an important consideration," I replied ; 

 and not wishing to appear fastidious about my own personal 

 comforts, when he and others were so ready to rough it for the 

 sake of hunting, I expressed a cordial approval of the plan, 

 though I confess sundry misgivings rose to my mind at the 

 prospect of roosting for the night at a way-side tavern, without 

 a rag of change, or even a tooth-brush to aid one's ablutions. 



An occasional double note from the furthermost depths of 

 Hengoet still reached our ears, proving the good hounds were 

 clinging to the drag, though unable, except at intervals, to give 

 hopeful tidings of the foe ahead. The Louvetier's expectations 

 of a blank day were evidently about to be realised ; and although 

 such an event was fortunately one of rare occurrence in this 

 country, it was not the less likely to chafe the temper of a man 

 so sanguine and so fiery as he was. We were now threading 

 our way, in Indian file, through a vast broom-field that skirted 

 the cover for a league or more, when one of the piqueurs, 

 advancing to meet us, informed St. Prix that he had tracked a 

 couple of old wolves, apparently in company, to the far end of 

 the valley ; that the track-prints were clear of the cover, and, so 



