"VICTORIOUS JACK." 265 



his flesh. It is like a mouse riding a-horseback on a cat ! 

 Hurrah, hurrah ! " 



While thus speaking, Mr. Howard fell like a thunder- 

 bolt on the harassed stag, which struggled with the last 

 strength of a dying animal, and plunged his hunting- 

 knife into his breast. 



When I arrived, panting, on the scene, Mr. Howard 

 was caressing Jack, who, without caring particularly for 

 the flattery, lapped up eagerly the blood escaping from 

 the yawning wound. 



" Good hound ! " cried Mr. Howard " brave Jack ! 

 The best deerhounds of England could not have done 

 better than you have done ; and besides, instead of glid- 

 ing over the snow, like Jack, they sink into it too 

 deeply ; and then, not one of them can grapple a stag by 

 the throat without loosing his hold ! Monai," said he, 

 addressing the Indian, who regarded the picture with the 

 impassability of a statue, " go and cut up the animal 

 before he is frozen ; select the best pieces, and leave the 

 remainder for the cayeutes. We have quite enough 

 venison for our hunting supplies. Come with me, Bene- 

 dict. I am going to dig a hole in the ice, and see if I can 

 catch a few trout for you, that we may have both flesh 

 and fish for our dinner. I don't think you would get 

 better fare in Paris, either at Very's, or at the Freres-Pro- 

 veiigaux." 



Soon said, soon done; the axe quickly reached the 

 limpid water of the lake, which splashed its brilliant 

 pearly drops about our leather leggings. Monai baited a 

 couple of fishing-lines with a fragment of the stag's liver ; 

 and while I held them with either hand, Mr. Howard 

 prepared the fire for cooking our repast. * 



