70 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



for the boar, and he was giving in, fast ; 

 the dogs were close upon him. I pushed 

 on at the top of my horse's speed, and 

 I was up in time to whip off the hounds, 

 as the object of their pursuit reeled to 

 the earth. I called out to the garde du 

 corps to advance with his spear. He 

 obeyed the summons gallantly, and, riding 

 up, buried the pointed blade deep be- 

 tween the shoulders of the prostrate 

 hog. The bull-dogs were not far off, 

 but before they reached us Monsieur 



de St. H had dismounted and made 



a frightful gash in the animal's throat 

 with his couteau de chasse. He was nearly 

 paying dear for his temerity, for in an 

 expiring effort the boar made an attempt 

 to rush at his legs ; and had he not made 

 good use of them, he would have suf- 

 fered considerably. 



It was now all up with the sanglier : 

 another plunge or two from the spear 



