A PLUCKY BOAR 485 



a few seconds when a grey mass almost sprang at me, 

 fortunately on the spear side. Mechanically I jobbed and 

 drove in the spurs ; the blade missed the vertebra, but went 

 well into the neck behind the immense head ; my speed carried 

 me clear, just escaping a vicious prod. The spear came away, 

 but the gallant quarry nothing daunted with a "whoof! 

 whoof!" chased us. I kept ahead, going fast enough to 

 keep out of his way, but no more, until I had lured him well 

 into the open ; then, putting on a spurt, wheeled round and 

 went at him again. I fancy some small artery had been 

 severed, for the boar was bleeding " like a pig," as the saying 

 goes, and although he met me in the most plucky manner, 

 there was not the usual vitality, and his charges became weaker 

 and weaker. Ultimately, with a downward job I drove the 

 blade deep into his withers, yet he managed to wriggle round, 

 and with an upward jerk he cut the sole of my boot right 

 through, his enormous head catching us^ amidship and sending 

 us spinning to the ground, but he was in articulo mortis. The 

 pony and I were not much the worse for the spill. Picking 

 up the pieces, admiring the proportions of our late adversary, 

 I withdrew the spear and remounted just in time to see W. 

 coming down towards us at full speed. He had apparently 

 a large, lanky boar before him, who was evidently wounded. 

 I too joined in the chase, but I soon saw our quarry was not 

 of the right gender. 



" Why, W.," I sung out, " this is a sow ! ". 



" But look at the tushes," retorted my comrade. 



" Yes, I see them ; but they are not much to speak of : it is 

 a barren sow." 



" It is wounded, so we must slay it, boar or sow," replied W. 



Just then she jinked, and my friend's mare, rather hard- 

 mouthed, did not turn as quickly as she ought to have done, 

 so allowed me to cut in. " Pekoe " was quite game, notwith- 

 standing his upset, and took me up nicely, so I gave her a 

 good dig in the ribs, but could not withdraw my blade again, 

 so had to let it go. W. was alongside of me in a moment, 

 but it was no easy matter to get near the brute to administer 

 a coup de grdce, for the heavily-leaded shaft remaining upright 

 swayed about woefully, and with these job-spears you have to 



