Where's the huntsman? 95 



that moment I heard some hounds (there might be 

 about three) coming towards me, and as they seemed 

 to be holding to a strong line I touched my horn, and 

 was about to put it to my lips again, when something 

 dashed across the little narrow path. Dropping my 

 horn, I fired in the direction which I guessed it was 

 taking, but without any visible result. Just as the 

 three hounds followed on its line across the path Jules 

 came up, and as he saw the hounds he cried to me 

 that Blossom had been ripped by the boar. We then 

 heard Maurice touch his horn, and after some trouble 

 we succeeded in calling the majority of the hounds 

 together, after as hard a run of five hours' duration, 

 for them and for us three, as it is possible to imagine, 

 with, I believe, about six or seven leagues to walk 

 home. 



" Where's the huntsman ? " we exclaimed to each 

 other with a jovial laugh. 



^* I don't know," was the reply from each elicited. 

 ^^ I have never set eyes on him nor heard him since we 

 began." 



" Well, come along, my boys ; " and stouter pedes- 

 trians I never saw — a pull at the cherry-brandy or 

 the currant-brandy, and a bit of bread, and then for 

 the old chateau. 



" I can't make out," I exclaimed, " what I shot at. 



