184 A MONTH IN" THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



them hit it well into cover. This slight check in 

 the open had afforded me time as well as space in 

 which to ascertain what it was I was hunting ; so 

 having inspected the lands, alas ! there w^as no sign 

 of the slot of the weighty boar — it must then be a 

 wolf. 



No possibility, however, of stopping the hounds, for 

 they were again in cover, and running a little dis- 

 tance within it, but parallel to the open country ; so 

 I coasted the wood and came into the high road, 

 up to which, at this spot, the woods adjoined. The 

 cover making an angle, I soon rounded it, and got 

 into the fields again, when out came the foxhounds 

 with a lively fling, and, St. Hubert be praised ! they 

 flew away for the very wide vallfey. 



Away, and away, away ! went my horn ; although 

 I well knew that I could stop the hounds, after their 

 hard work, and in their indifferent condition, how- 

 ever, the sooner some one came in sight the better. 

 At this moment shrill screams, or what might be 

 view-halloos, reached my ear from the open fields 

 ahead, when, as I came up hand over hand with the 

 leading hounds, I was met by a girl and boy frantic 

 with excitement, and screaming " Le loup ! Le loup ! " 

 while they pointed in the direction they had seen him 

 go- 



