WARWICK WOODLANDS. 165 



spurred upon him counter to broadside, in hope to ride 

 him down ; foiled once again, in this — his last hope, as it 

 seemed — he drew his longest knife, and as — a quarter of 

 a second too late only — he crossed behind the buck, he 

 swung himself half out of his saddle, and striking a full 

 blow, succeeded in hamstringing him; while the gray, 

 missing the support of the master-hand, stumbled and 

 fell upon his head. 



Horse, stag, and man, all rolled upon the ground within 

 the compass of ten yards — the terrified and wounded deer 

 striking out furiously in all directions — so that it seemed 

 impossible that Archer could escape some deadly injury — 

 while, to increase the fury and the peril of the scene, the 

 hounds came up, and added their fresh fierceness to the 



fierce confusion. Before, however, A came up, Harry 



had gained his feet, 'drawn his small knife — the larger 

 having luckily flown many yards as he fell — and running 

 in behind the struggling quarry, had seized the brow 

 antler, and at one strong and skilful blow, severed the 

 weasand and the jugular. One gush of dark red gore — 

 one plunging effort, and the superb and stately beast lay 

 motionless forever — while the loud_ death halloo rang over 

 the broad valley — all fears, all perils, utterly forgotten in 

 the strong rapture of that thrilling moment. 



SNIPE ON THE UPLAND. 



"Now then boys, we've no time to lose," said Archer, as 

 he replaced his knives, which he had been employed in 

 wiping with great care, in their respective scabbards, "it's 

 getting toward eight o'clock, and I feel tolerably peckish, 

 the milk punch and biscuits notwithstanding; we shall 

 not be in the field before ten o'clock, do our best for it. 

 Now, Jem," he continued, as that worthy, followed by 

 David Seers and the Captain made their appearance, hot 

 and breathless, but in high spirits at the glorious termi- 

 nation of the morning's sport — "Now, Jem, you and the 

 Captain must look out a good strong pole, and tie tha* 

 fellow's legs, and carry him between you as far as Plain's 

 house — you can come up with the wagon this afternoon 

 and bring him down to the village. What the deuce are 



