178 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



which the chase presently shifted. There the fear 

 that the game would land and reach the clifT 

 suddenly possessed him. So all at once he urged 

 the boat past hounds and island to the reedy 

 corner, where he jumped to his feet and kept 

 splashing the water to drive the otter back. The 

 nearer the hounds approached the more frantically 

 he wielded the oar, nor did he desist till they 

 showed by their movements that the otter had 

 left the end of the creek and was returning to 

 the mere. 



Whilst he watched them the squire and his 

 followers came over the brow, and all made for 

 the beach except the squire, who came tearing 

 down the hill towards the boat. 



' To the hounds, John !' he gasped as he stepped 

 into the crazy craft. At the word the old man 

 pushed off and bent to his work with wondrous 

 vigour. 



* Have you viewed the otter ?' 



' No, sir, I haven't, but I spurred un.' 



* You spurred him ? When ?' 

 ' Soon aifter break o' day.' 



■ You did V 



* Iss, sir, sure as you're standin' on they starn 

 sheets.' 



« What ! the big otter V 



