A COUNCIL OF WAR. 209 



those long and verbose consultations that in France, 

 from their length and frequency, generally consume 

 half a hunting-day. I could not help telegraphing 

 to my friends my state of impatience, by every 

 known sign ; but they only laughed and kept on 

 talking ; when, in about an hour, the order was given 

 to proceed. Having ascertained which way the 

 wind blew, I took up a position under the hedge of 

 the wood said to contain the boar, within shot of a 

 low place and cross hedge leading from the wood to 

 the forest, down which I deemed it likely the boar 

 would break, and where it was said by my friends 

 that they often did do so. Tying Coco to a tree behind 

 me, as I faced this likely pass, I listened for the 

 expected outburst of the hunting-cry. Of course it 

 commenced among the old babblers the instant they 

 were uncoupled ; but in a short time I heard ahead 

 of them the lighter, merrier cry of the English fox- 

 hounds really at work ; and I knew the game was 

 up. " Volumed and vast," thanks to the insane 

 roars of the French hounds, it swayed this way and 

 that ; and at last came thundering down the hill of 

 the wood direct to me, and precisely in a line for the 

 low place on which my attention was fixed. Coco, 

 hearing the cry coming so close upon him, left off 

 stamping his feet and munching at the green boughs, 



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