THE PURSUERS PURSUED 77 



sound downstream has alarmed them. They are 

 all ears when, above the voice of the river and 

 the wild rustling of the tree-tops, the penetrating 

 note again makes itself heard. It is the toot of 

 the horn. The twice-hunted otter dreads that 

 sound above all sounds save the cry of the 

 hounds, and before it has died away she and the 

 cubs are in full retreat to the holt in the salmon 

 pool. Only at long intervals do they rise to 

 vent before reaching the rapids, where they leave 

 the water and gallop up the bank, as if fear 

 itself were at their heels. At the top they re- 

 enter the river, and so gain the shelter of the 

 alder-roots near the fall. 



The cubs, feeling safe in the holt, make their 

 toilet as usual ; but the otter listens, and before 

 long catches the dreaded cry. Then the cubs 

 hear it too : they begin to share their mother's 

 alarm and, when the swelling clamour tells of 

 the close approach of their enemies, seek the 

 inmost recess of their refuge. Soon the hounds 

 enter the pool and cluster like maddened things 

 about the holt. ' A good solid mark,' shouts 

 the doctor to the squire. * He's there right 

 enough.' The foremost hounds can see the 

 otter where she stands hissing through her white 

 teeth, but they cannot reach her. So the hounds 



