188 A MONTH IN THE FOEESTS OF FRANCE. 



we aided the hounds. I still maintained my up-wind 

 side of the cover, while M. d'Anchald worked with 

 the hounds towards the down-wind side, for I knew 

 that in the latter direction all my companions must 

 be continually arriving, and down-wind of us he 

 could not go ; but up-wind there was nothing save 

 myself to prevent his slipping away, and not a soul to 

 view him had he done so. Had we but had an able 

 body of hounds sticking to their work, I would have 

 availed myself of a position better suited to the ear ; 

 but, as no one was on my side the cover, I deemed it 

 better to remain. 



After we had been running in this immensely 

 strong spring some time, the old false cripples began 

 to come up and do all sorts of mischief as usual, fling- 

 ing their tongues wherever they were, and distracting 

 attention from Barricade and the English hounds who 

 were really at work. So confused had become the 

 cry, and so weak around the boar, that I feared 

 we were going even then to be beaten ; at last, I 

 heard the faint report of a gun at the far end of 

 the cover, but not one single note of the huge horn 

 to tell me what had happened. Had the boar then 

 been shot at, and headed back, or was the gun 

 fired at him as he broke on the reverse of his foot, 

 or on the old line ? I stood doubting what to do, and 



