204: A BUSINESS DAY AT CHEE-HA. 



man's liorn ! My heart bounded within me, as we 

 cast off the pack, and rode rapidly forward to 

 guard the passes of the drive. 



It was Wrigkfs Bay, and the dogs had scarcely 

 entered, when they roused a deer, and went roaring 

 on in pursuit through the centre of the drive ; while 

 we dashed on at full speed along a foot-path that in- 

 circled it. "We were too late; the deer had escaped 

 by green pond ! 



" Push on, Tippoo," said Loveleap to his roan, 

 " we'll catch him yet at Chapman's Bay /" 



Too late again! away went the deer for the river, 

 and when our panting steeds drew up at the brink, 

 the deer had already crossed, and the leading dogs 

 were howling along the bank, and asking, as far 

 as their brute action could ask it our leave to 

 follow. 



" Too fast for us this time," said Loveleap, " we'll 

 try it again." 



At slower pace than we had come, w r e retraced 

 our steps, and cast off the dogs a second time into 

 the same drive. The same ill-success attended us : 

 again we started again the deer got ahead of us, 

 and again we toiled in an unprofitable chase, until 

 we again found ourselves pell mellwith the hounds 

 at Chapman's fort, the deer having again crossed 

 the river ! 



