AGAIN ON THE TRACK. 159 



them try each clearing; his efforts were useless. We 

 were about to give our tongue to the cat, when suddenly 

 the noble Black gave forth a single bark which to him 

 alone was worth a long poem. Thereafter he set to 

 work to run at full speed, until he was stopped by a 

 barrier of logs and posts which marked the boundary of 

 an estate. Eureka ! He had recovered the scent. 



Everything encouraged the belief that while we had 

 been galloping round the thicket, following with our 

 eyes the movements of the dogs, the cat for it was one 

 concealing himself from our sight, and from the scent 

 of the pack, had glided from branch to branch, without 

 touching the ground, and profited by the interval to gain 

 the neighbouring wood behind the fence qf which I have 

 just spoken. 



Black, with his nose in the air, had discovered this 

 fraudulent escapade, and the good dog had put us again 

 upon the beast's track. 



We continued then our pursuit, until, at a winding of 

 the wood, we were startled by a gun, fired by a new 

 hunter, one of Mr. Potter's neighbours, who came up to 

 join the chase. He had caught sight of the cat at the 

 moment he attempted to escape. Unfortunately, his gun 

 was loaded with small shot ; the animal was stung to the 

 quick, but not wounded. 



In front of us, at a short distance, the cat had hoisted 

 himself up a tree, and leaped from branch to branch, 

 without venturing again to touch the ground. 



Will he play us another of his tricks'? thought I. 

 Come, my little tiger ; this time you shall not escape us. 



We all dismounted, attached our horses to the trees, 

 and stood immovable, with our fingers on our triggers, 



