112 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



the snug shelter afforded by this deep Httle 

 wooded gulch, and strides away towards 

 Webber's Post, with long ears pricked forward 

 in wonder and alarm. Then a big male deer 

 breaks back lower down, and the bulk of the 

 pack settle upon his foil and run merrily for 

 half a mile towards Annicombe till Sidney stops 

 them and Anthony takes them back once more 

 to try and solve the question in the Allers. 

 Again there is a cry and a rush, and a light- 

 coloured three-year-old male deer breaks out, 

 pointing for Horner, but blanches at sight of the 

 field and gallops over the side of Robin How 

 and also returns to Annicombe. Towards two 

 o'clock Anthony crosses the head of the little 

 Wytchanger Combe and throws his hounds into 

 the thick part of Middlehill Plantation, and a 

 challenge amongst the dark green pines at once 

 sets every one on the "qui vive." Stealing out 

 from the trees comes the hunted stag, crosses 

 a little space in the heather, and squats in a 

 furze bush, plainly seen by every one. Several 

 couple of hounds come toiling up on the line, 

 but are stopped ere they disturb him, for others 

 have got away meanwhile on the line of a hind, 

 and the whole pack must be got together for 

 the chase which is about to commence afresh. 



At a quarter past two Anthony moves up to 

 the furze bush, coming down wind, but the stag 

 lies close till the hounds are all round him, 



