274 WOLF-HUNTING. 



fact, forest trees, and the bogs, generally bare, carried spare and 

 broken patches of short grass over their quivering crusts ; and 

 here the cock were far more plentiful. But, with the trees above 

 their heads, no temptation would induce the onvriers or the 

 braconniers to draw the cover, because, as they averred, it was 

 of no use flushing the cock when it was impossible to shoot 

 them in such a place. The dogs, too, only cared for flax, and 

 would scarcely stoop on the haunt of a cock, much less quest 

 when the bird rose. So there was nothing for it but to go in 

 and tackle them ourselves. Accordingly, Keryfan, Shafto, and 

 myself plunged into the thickest of it ; and, with old Sancho for our 

 chief aide-de-camp, we must have had twenty snap-shots in about 

 so many minutes. Of course a great number were missed, every 

 bird of which brought down such a cross-fire upon us that, unless 

 some protecting angel had especially watched over our exposed 

 bodies, the peasants must have bagged other and heavier game 

 than mere woodcock. In vain we shouted for mercy or threatened 

 reprisals still every cock- that escaped our guns brought a volley 

 of slugs whizzing about our ears and cutting off alder-twigs on 

 every side. At length, most unexpectedly, a hare jumped up out 

 of a rushy bog, and, getting instantly beyond our ken, carried 

 back all the dogs in full cry. The peasants, too, believing it to 

 be a fox, darted off in pursuit, hoping to intercept the wily beast 

 at the far end ; and thus relieved, we enjoyed, without further 

 annoyance, some very pretty shooting for a good hour or more. 



But our danger was not yet quite over. On rejoining us in 

 more open ground, the carpenter directed the whole party again 

 to form line and to beat abreast as heretofore ; and scarcely had 

 this order been obeyed, when a rabbit, found by a cur, dodged 

 back, and, coming straight towards me, endeavoured to force the 

 line under my very legs. At that moment two slugs passed 

 through a fold of my leather leggings, and the rabbit fell dead 

 at my feet. The perpetrator, however, an ouvrier standing not 



