WARWICK WOODLANDS. 71 



followed by a triumphant " Whoop ! who-whoop !" and then, I 

 knew, another stag had fallen. 



The beaters on the bill shouted again louder and louder than 

 before and the hounds still raved on. By heaven ! but there 

 must be a herd of them a-foot ! And now the pack divides ! The 

 English hounds are bringing their game down here by the 

 Lord ! just here right in our very faces ! The Southrons have 

 borne away over the shoulder of the bill, still running hot and 

 hard in Jolly Tom's direction. 



" By heaven !" 1 cried, i4 look, Teachman 1 Garry, look ! There! 

 See you not that noble buck ? he leaped that sumach bush like 

 a race-horse ! and see ! see ! now he will take the water. Bad 

 luck on it ! he sees us, and heads back !" 



Again the fleet hounds rally in his rear, and chide till earth 

 and air are vocal and harmonious. Hark I hark! how Archer's 

 cheers ring.on the wind ! Now he turns once again he nears 

 the edge how glorious ! with what a beautiful bold bound he 

 leaped from that high bluff into the flashing wave ! with what 

 a majesty he tossed his antlered head above the spray ! with 

 how magnificent and brave a stroke he breasts the curling 



billows r 



" Give way ! my men, give way !" 



How the frail bark creaks and groans as we ply the long oars 

 in the rullocks how the ash bends in our sturdy grasp how 

 the boat springs beneath their impulse. 



"Together, boys ! together ! now now we gain now, Garry, 

 lay your oar aside up with your musket now you are near 

 enough give it to him, in heaven's name ! a good shot, too! 

 the bullet ricochetted from the lake scarcely six inches from bis 

 nose ! Give way again it 's my shot now !' T 



And lifting my Joe Manton, each barrel loaded with a bullet 

 carefully wadded with greased buckskin, I took a careful aim 

 arid fired. 



"That's it," cried Garry; " well done, Forester right through 

 the head, by George !" 



And, as lie spoke, I fancied for a moment he Xvas right. 

 The noble buck plunged half his height out of the bright blue 

 water, shaking his head as if in the death agony, but the next 

 instant he stretched out again with vigor unimpaired, and I 



could see that mv ball had only knocked a tine off his left 



i * 



antler. 



My second barrel still remained, and without lowering the 



