ii2 THE HUNTER'S ARCADIA. 



power of his voice, and in such notes of anguisl 

 that, in spite of my resolution, I was compelled to 

 come from under the blankets and learn the cause 

 of his discomfiture. The victim was a greyhound 

 that I had not mentioned before, for he was un- 

 worthy of notice ; but, now that he has forced him- 

 self upon our attention, I am obliged to say some- 

 thing of him. What ailed the brute I could not 

 make out, for his conduct was so strange and un- 

 accountable that I had never seen the like before. 

 It could not be hydrophobia of a new type, for 

 canine madness is almost unknown in this part of 

 the world. But what could it be ? The beast 

 rushed about as if blind, ricocheted off a wagon- 

 wheel on to an ox, for which he got well kicked ; 

 then made a rush through the fire, upset a sauce- 

 pan, and scalded himself, and finally laid down in 

 the most unnatural position, and ultimately, from 

 sheer exhaustion, I imagined, remained silent. 



Such silence, under the circumstances, was but 

 natural, for the unfortunate had expired without a 

 struggle, without an effort, and I fear without a 

 regret from any one. No wound could I discover 

 about the defunct, nothing to indicate .the cause of 



