34 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



flashing in the darkness, and the animals that had surrounded us, 

 as they saw their prey escaping, rushed forward with an angry 

 noise ; they saw the glowing embers, and held back just long 

 enough to permit my escape. As I drew myself up on the first 

 limb, a rush of gratitude passed over my soul, and my feelings 

 were as warm as a child's. Nothing could be seen, for the sombre 

 forest shut out the little light there was in the atmosphere, but I 

 heard the pattering of feet beneath my fortress, like falling rain. 

 Back and forward they came and went, and snorting sounds and 

 champing teeth made the black night alive with imaginary shapes. 

 I wondered how it fared with the Doctor, yet dared not call, for 

 the uncertainty was less fearful than the reality might be. I 

 pictured him fallen, dragged back from his half-attained refuge, 

 and divided among the hungry pack ; and the very noises below 

 might be the mumbling of his bones, 



" While their white tusks crunched o'er his whiter skull, 

 As it slipp'd through their jaws when their edge grew dull." 



At length I summoned courage, and called " Poke ! " 



"Hulloa!" was the response — more grateful to my ear than 

 any sound in the world. 



" How are you, my boy ? " I called again. 



"Safe, thank the Lord!" 



" What a disgraceful situation to be in, and how are we to get 

 out of it?" 



" I will be grateful if I can only keep in it ; for this tree is so 

 small, that the wolves can almost reach me when they jump ; and, 

 as I climbed up, one caught my coat-tail, and tore it entirely off." 



" Climb up higher, then." 



" I can't ; the tree is so small that, when I get any higher, it 

 bends over, and lets me down — oh dear ! " 



" Haven't you your pistol with you ? Try and shoot one, and 

 it may frighten them." 



"Oh, dear, no; there are hundreds of them. Just look at 

 them below ! " 



I looked down, and surely I could see a drove of them. They 

 were evidently the grey wolf, for, in spite of the darkness, I could 

 detect their motions from their light coats. 



