78 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



are called off that a terrier may get at the quarry, 

 and after a terrible fight he compels the otter to 

 take to the water. Shouts of ■ Heu gaz ' from 

 the field greet the appearance of the bubbles that 

 betray her flight, and the next moment the twelve 

 couple of hounds are in pursuit towards the 

 stickle, where a dozen men or more stand foot to 

 foot to prevent her from going down-water. 

 Round and round the big pool swims the otter, 

 rising now under the bank, now amongst the 

 hounds, narrowly escaping their jaws. Time after 

 time she returns to the cubs, but only to be 

 ejected by one or other of the terriers. At last, 

 after being badly shaken by the hounds, she 

 lands, gallops round the line of men with the 

 white terrier at her rudder, and gains the water 

 beyond. At amazing speed she follows the 

 winding reaches to the rapids, and even succeeds 

 in gaining Longen Pool, famous in the annals 

 of the Hunt. However, the hounds again press 

 her sorely, and after a while she takes to the 

 tangled coppice on the hillside, traverses it, 

 reaches an ancient hedgerow matted with bramble 

 and thorn, and there lies listening, trusting to 

 have escaped pursuit. But she has left a burn- 

 ing scent, and soon the cry of the pursuers warns 

 her that her hopes are vain. Nevertheless, as 



