SUCCESSFUL RUSE. 137 



but dashed after me in hot pursuit. Before half a 

 mile was traversed I found they had the advantage 

 of me in speed. In half that distance further they 

 were close behind, and a few strides more must 

 enable them to lay hold of me and pull me down. 

 I almost imagined I felt their hot breath and their 

 panting respiration, while the dull thud of their 

 paws coming in contact with the ice struck omi- 

 nously on my ear. Would their impetus cause them 

 to overshoot their object if I suddenly turned ? The 

 idea flashed across my brain like a ray of hope. 

 I knew their footing on such a surface was far from 

 secure. Many a time I had seen dogs fall or slide 

 along when, under similar circumstances, they wished 

 to stop their velocity or suddenly turn ; but if I 

 was to practise this trick it must be attempted 

 immediately, for I knew, as if by intuition, not 

 daring to turn to look, that the fangs of one could 

 not be many inches from my person. In a moment 

 I shot off to the left, while my foes, with head- 

 long impetus, slid or fell to the ground in their 

 exertions to turn or halt. I then retraced my 

 course at a measured pace, so as to regain both 

 wind and strength. But I was not long left in 

 peace, for my eager pursuers were soon again in 

 my wake. In a short time they were so close to 

 me that they believed themselves almost in pos- 

 session of their prey, when the same ruse was once 

 more successfully performed, and I resumed my 

 original course with redoubled vigour. Twice more 



