92 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



nobility,' give notice to the monarch of the woods of 

 the advent of his foes, rouse his keen sense of 

 danger, and induce him to decamp on the sly. 



But anon comes the master, and then to his private 

 ear the news and glad tidings are communicated ; 

 the order to march is given, and away goes the 

 happy throng, Jem on an old pony leading the 

 van, eager as the youngest stripling of the party to 

 see the deer found and to assist in finding him. 

 Then his day's work is at an end. 



Arrived within half a mile of the covert, the pack 

 is taken to a farm and shut up in a barn. Two 

 couples of tried, steady old hounds are drafted out as 

 tufters, and with them the huntsman proceeds to the 

 covert with the harbourer, and beoins to draw for 

 the deer. With them, too, go horse and foot ; every 

 heart beating with joy, and every eye radiant with 

 expectation. 



Hark ! a challenoe — then a crash — three minutes 

 of intense excitement, then a tally, loud and pro- 

 longed, from the hundreds on foot who have taken 

 up their position on the hill. It is no use, my friends. 

 That is not the animal we are looking for, but one 

 of the hinds, on whose habits Jem was ruminating 

 this morning. 'Get away back,' cries the whip, as, 

 assisted by two or three volunteers, he heads the 



I 



