TERRIFIED BOYS. 167 



clined, before I could again check him with the 

 curb. On witnessing the battle between the out- 

 landish man, armed with a gun, and his fiery horse, 

 the terror of the boys was increased ; but their yell 

 of dismay may be easily imagined when Coco, with 

 a huge rear, and then a demivolt, bolted open- 

 mouthed right among them in the cover. The use 

 of their limbs was denied — they fell flat on their 

 backs ; and I could see their yelling upturned faces 

 apprehensive of instantaneous death, as the spur 

 made old Coco spring into the ride, up which I had 

 resolved to go, without setting a foot on, or even 

 touching, one of their limbs. 



Soon after this I heard hounds running, and got 

 up to them, and then M. d'Anchald, with a few more, 

 joined me. These hounds left us again on hearing 

 others running, and then we heard a gun, and soon 

 after came up to Jules and Maurice, and, if I re- 

 member rightly, to my first acquaintance, who had 

 met me in Paris, Ludovic, who had also joined us, and 

 found that we were then running boars, and that 

 they had met with an adventure. The three were on 

 foot ; and while standing in a ride listening for the 

 hounds, the patter of the rain drowning all noise, 

 they saw (at least one of their party saw) a dark 

 object peep from the cover, which looked like a bird; 



M 4 



