164 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



hill, as if to cross the valley ; but immediately, as if perceiving 

 that he had passed the last of his enemies, turned up again to- 

 ward the mountain, describing an arc, almost, in fact, a semi- 

 circle, from the point where he had broken covert to that an- 

 other gully, at perhaps a short mile's distance from which he 

 was now aiming. 



Across the chord, then, of this arc, Harry was driving furious- 

 ly, with the intent, as it would seem, to cut him off from the 

 gulley the stone wall crossed his line, but not a second did he 

 pause for it, but gave his horse both spurs, and lifting him a 

 little, landed him safely at the other side. Frank mounted 



rapidly, dashed after him, and soon passed A , who was 



less aptly mounted for a chase he likewise topped the wall, 

 and disappeared beyond it, though the stones flew, where the 

 bay struck the coping with his heels. 



All pluck to the back-bone, the Commodore craned not nor 

 hesitated, but dashed the colt, for the first time in his life, at 

 the high barrier he tried to stop, but could not, so powerfully 

 did his rider cram him leaped short, and tumbled head over 

 heels, carrying half the wall away with him, and leaving a gap 

 as if a wagon had passed through it to Tom's astonishment 

 and agony for he supposed the colt destroyed forever. 



Scarcely, however, had A gained his feet, before a sight 



met his eyes, which made him leave the colt, and run as fast 

 as his legs could carry him toward the scene of action. 



The stag, seeing his human enemy so near, had strained 

 every nerve to escape, and Harry, desperately rash and daring, 

 seeing he could not turn or head him, actually spurred upon 

 him counter to broadside, in hope to ride him down ; foiled 

 once again, in this his last hope, as it seemed he drew his 

 longest knife, and as a quarter of a second too late only he 

 crossed behind the buck, he swung himself half out of his 

 saddle, and striking a full blow, succeeded in hamstringing him ; 

 while the gray, missing the support of the master-hand, 

 stumbled and fell upon his head. 



Horse, stag, and man, all rolled upon the ground within the 

 compass of ten yards the terrified and wounded deer striking 

 out furiously in all directions so that it seemed impossible that 

 Archer could escape some deadly injury while, to in- 

 crease the fury and the peril of the scene, the hounds came up, 

 and added their fresh fierceness to the fierce confusion. Before, 

 however, A came up, Harry had gained his feet, drawn his 



