chap. xi. A LONG RUN WITH A BUCK. 259 



The buck was at bay m the river, and the ex- 

 hausted dogs were yelling at him from the bank. The 

 instant that we arrived and cheered them on, old Smut 

 came from the pack towards us with an expression of 

 perfect delight ; he gave himself two or three rolls on 

 the grass, and then went to the fight like a lion. The 

 buck, however, suddenly astonished the whole pack by 

 jumping out of the river, and, charging right through 

 them, he started over the plain towards the jungle, 

 with the hounds after him. He had refreshed himself 

 by standing for so long in the cold stream, while the 

 dogs, on the contrary, were nearly worn out. He 

 reached the jungle with the whole pack at his heels ; 

 but after doubling backward and forward in the forest 

 for about five minutes, we heard the crash in the 

 bushes as he once more rushed towards the plain, and 

 he broke cover in fine style, with the three greyhounds, 

 Bran, Lucifer and Lena, at his haunches. In another 

 instant he was seized, but he fell with such a shock- 

 that it threw the greyhounds from their hold, and re- 

 covering himself with wonderful quickness, he went 

 down the slope towards the river at a tremendous pace. 

 The greyhounds overtook him just as he gained the 

 steep bank of the river, and they all rolled over in a 

 confused crowd into the deep water. 



The next moment the buck was seen swimming 

 proudly down the river, with the pack following 

 him down the stream in full cry. Presently he 



