THE DEER HUNT. 93 



intelligible in the medley of sound, until tlie yelling of 

 the dogs, and the trampling of the horses drowned all 

 words. The horses, as wild in their ardor as their riders, 

 needed no rein. The buck led the way directly for ano- 

 ther hummock that was situated about three miles 

 away, and which was now within sight; his flight 

 was straight and well sustained, though now and then 

 a spot of blood on the leaves showed that he was 

 wounded. The dogs were toiling on behind, not two 

 yards away, and close behind the dogs came all the hun- 

 ters, the Doctor, riding the fastest horse, taking the lead. 

 As we approached the hummock, the pine trees grew 

 closer together, and while going between two of them 

 the Doctor was caught by his gun, which he held cross- 

 wise before him on the saddle, and was swept off his 

 horse to the ground. " There's a ten strike !" called out 

 Jackson, as we rushed by. Closer still we came to the 

 deer, every dog stretched to his utmost length, every 

 rider bending to his horse's mane ; Mike was just raising 

 his rifle to his shoulder to shoot, when without a sign the 

 big buck fell head first to the ground, and rolled over 

 and over with the impetus of the chase. His heart had 

 broken in the desperate burst just within reach of his 

 lair, in whose close covert the doe, with one long bound, 

 was lost. Up came the dogs and horses so fast they ran 

 over the game, and crowded and jostled together as they 

 pulled up. So rolls and bubbles a wave that meets a rock 

 on the sandy beach. Then there was dismounting, and 

 whipping off the dogs, and a search for the Avounds in 



