290 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



render assistance to the unfortunate object of our 

 search. 



Suddenly, Hennessey, who led the party, halted. 

 " By heaven ! " he exclaimed, *' I heard either a fox's 

 whimper, or the cry of a dog." 



He put his finger to his lips and whistled shrilly, 

 and instantly a long-sustained howl answered to the 

 signal. 



" It is Venney's cry," said our leader. " God grant 

 that her master be still alive ! " 



We pushed forward rapidly for several hundred yards 

 in the direction the noise was heard from ; and the 

 whining of a dog, broken now and then by a long and 

 piercing howl, continued to guide us. We reached the 

 place, and on turning a rock which elbowed into the 

 river abruptly, found the old man extended on the 

 ground, cold and motionless. The trap was bound 

 across his back, and a large otter lay at some yards 

 distance from the place where he had fallen. 



We raised him up, while the faithful terrier frisked 

 about us, and testified sincere delight at the promised 

 recovery of her master. The old man's eyes feebly 

 opened when the torch-light flashed upon his face. 

 This symptom of existing Ufe encouraged us, and, as 

 his extremities were cold and powerless, his master and 

 I rubbed them briskly between our hands, while 

 Hennessey poured some brandy down his throat. 



" We want instant help," said my cousin ; " jump 

 upon the bank, and see if anybody is near us." 



His foster brother rushed up the brow, and whistled 

 loudly, but the signal was unheard or unheeded. Again 

 he exerted himself, but ineflfectually, to make the flanking 

 parties hear him : there was no reply. 



