A WILD GOOSE CHASE 277 



making a rubbing-post of him, and to proceed gooseward ; 

 and away she sped across the frozen marshes at a pace 

 that would have astonished even the proverbial tortoise. 



To have attempted to stalk the geese, head on, would 

 have been fatal, for they would have twigged the fowler 

 in a moment. He therefore had to steer crab -fashion, 

 and at the same time to keep level with the mare's 

 shoulder. Fortunately, she stood considerably over 

 seventeen hands high, and therefore the crown of his 

 head did not show above her withers. But to keep step 

 with a horse is the most snatchy exercise imaginable. 

 Every now and again Jack's equine friend would gaze 

 at him with her one sound eye — a wall-eye — as though 

 to ask, " What in the name of all that is unholy are you 

 hanging on to me for, you wretched-looking biped ? If 

 you will follow me, you must go my pace." Then, out of 

 sheer cussedness, she would stop dead to graze, and all 

 the chucking and punching in the world would have 

 failed to move her against her will. 



No less than fifty minutes did that old dun mare occupy 

 in traversing the first marsh ; and by the time the sheep 

 bridge spanning the division dyke was reached, the sun 

 was well up in the heavens, and the cat ice on the fresh- 

 water fleet glinted again under his bright rays. It was 

 while crossing the bridge that Conway caught a moment- 

 ary glimpse of the geese, which appeared almost as big as 

 swans, right in the centre of the adjoining marsh, and 

 about a quarter of a mile distant. 



Now, although a stiff and piercingly cold north-easter 



