112 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



" bellows to mend/' heedless of everything on earth in 

 his struggle to be in at the death. 



A mighty splash and some ten couple of hounds are 

 madly swimming across the shallow lagoon towards the 

 antelope, which, having " soiled/' is struggling gallantly 

 to reach the further shore. 



But, alas for him ! he has stopped to " soil " too long, 

 for several couple of the older and more knowing hounds 

 have skirted the shore and are already baying round the 

 clump of tall reeds towards which he is swimming, and 

 those in the water are close to his haunches. At length 

 he touches ground, and, with a mighty spring, the gallant 

 little antelope jumps clean over the heads of the waiting 

 hounds. His last bolt is shot, however; old Amazon 

 has fastened on to his throat, and next moment he is pulled 

 down by a living, dappled torrent. " Who-whoop, 

 whoa- whoop ! " the run is over. 



