176 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



security, heedless of his enemies, they had passed 

 the Liddens and come within earshot of the old 

 man, who had scarcely finished his soliloquy 

 when he started to his feet with the exclamation, 

 ' What's that ¥ and stood listening as intently as 

 the otter a little earlier had listened for a reply to 

 his call. This time, however, the reply came. 

 1 Surely theere 'tes again,' and a few seconds later, 

 as the cry rose afresh, he shouted ' 'Tes they ' so 

 loudly that he attracted the child who joined 

 him on the furze-rick he had hurriedly climbed. 



* Do 'ee hear them, Mary ? 'Tes the hounds. 

 Hark ! cheeld.' 



* I hear something, granfer.' 



* Wheere do 'ee make the cry to come from V 

 and for answer she pointed with her free hand to 

 the Kites' Cairn. 'Now keep an eye on the 

 rocks, and tell me if you see any thin'.' 



1 There's something streaming through the 

 Fairies' Gap this minit. . . . Now it's like a 

 shadow, a moving shadow on the down. . . . 

 They're dogs. My word, such a passel of them, 

 all in a bunch !' 



Then they passed from sight and the weird cry 

 almost died away ; but presently the chorus 

 swelled, and swelled, and swelled, and then the 

 old man saw the hounds, like maddened things, 



