248 WOLF-HUNTING. 



the bigger villain quitting his partner at a tangent, and, in a 

 few strides, leaving her in the lurch, as if " the devil take the 

 hindmost " was the only thought uppermost in the brute's head. 



"That's a lucky turn for us," said the Louvetier, trotting 

 rapidly forward, and clapping the tufters, as they streamed in 

 sight, close on the back of the crippled wolf. At the same time 

 (for as yet not a hound of the relay had beea uncoupled) he put 

 his horn to his lips, and sounded a lively signal for the first 

 batch ; but before these had time to catch us, the tufters had 

 driven the old harridan back to the rocks, and there brought 

 her to bay under a granite ledge that protected her on every 

 side, except in front, from the attack of her enemies. 



Quick as thought St. Prix was out of his saddle, and Barbe 

 bleu made fast by his chain-halter to a convenient tree; but, 

 intent as he was on saving his hounds, and bounding, as he did, 

 like an ibex, from rock to rock, over chasms, fissures, and such- 

 like obstructions, he was unable to reach the ground in time to 

 save old Caesar from his usual fate. The brave old hound had 

 gone in alone at the formidable foe (the passage to the holt 

 being so narrow that it was impossible for more than one to 

 enter at a time), and in the desperate fight that ensued he had 

 come out savagely mangled about the head, which was literally 

 a mass of blood. Notwithstanding this punishment, however, 

 the very moment he caught sight of St. Prix springing to his 

 aid, he dashed in again without a scruple of fear then, locked 

 together, jaw and jaw, the wolf and the hound renewed their 

 terrible struggle at the mouth of that narrow den. Two bull-dogs 

 never encountered each other with more fury ; the courage of the 

 hound, notwithstanding the immense superiority of the other in 

 point of weight, muscular power, and length of teeth, giving the 

 old hero a decided advantage over his cowardly foe. 



At the risk of, at least, an odd rib or two in getting forward, 

 Keryfan and I were soon standing at St. Prix's side, and able to lend 



