USE OF A SPRING VAN. 173 



rying home any hounds that chance to be wounded ; 

 for to such casualties on these occasions the pack must 

 usually be subjected. The two fine mares having taken 

 on the hounds, we rode our horses to cover. On arriv- 

 inor at the little villacj^e we found the blouses assembled 

 in force, and Maurice d'Anchald and the old keeper 

 with mournful faces ; for, on being asked if they had 

 succeeded in harbouring the boar, they shook their 

 heads, and, in addition to their report of being unable 

 to slot one, they affirmed that their limiers had failed 

 to touch OIL anything, rvhether hoar or wolf. Blank, 

 then, was the visage of my hearty entertainer ; but 

 in a few minutes a " sensation" was observable amono; 

 the blouses ; M. d'Anchald's brow lightened up ; and 

 on my making into the circle formed by the people 

 around him, he communicated to me the glad tidings 

 that, in spite of the limiers^ a crafty poacher, in the very 

 ivoods wherein the limiers had made their romids, had 

 slotted le vieux sanglier to his very lair, and by a 

 further or circular inspection, ascertained to a cer- 

 tainty that he was still in it. There was then no 

 doubt as to how the gun should be loaded, so I put 

 two balls for close quarters into my left barrel, and a 

 nicely fitting heavy one into the right for a longer 

 shot. A consultation having been held as to the 

 method of attack, my friend advised me to repair to 



