326 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
into such a chorus that there was no doubt the 
whole pack was close upon him. On he came ; 
the crash of the yielding underwood ushered the 
stag’s approach, and he bounded forth upon the 
plain within a few yards of the spot where he 
had so recently entered the forest. Lena was 
leading beautifully, and as the grand stag rushed 
through the high ferns, the bitch made a gallant 
spring. For the instant he was down; but 
shaking the bitch off, he was again free; he flew 
down the sloping patina towards the river with 
the three greyhounds laying out in such style that 
it was even betting if he could reach the bank. 
He neared the stream ; they were at his haunches. 
As he took his spring from the steep bank, the 
greyhounds pinned him, and they splashed 
together into the deep water in a confused heap, 
the dogs losing their hold through the severity of 
the shock. 
“Once more the stag was free. He now boldly 
turned, and faced the dogs in water so deep that 
he was forced to swim, and was of course powerless. 
“ Bran had him in a moment. Lucifer and Lena 
pinned him likewise ; the whole pack closed up, and 
he was overwhelmed with dogs. 
“ I thought the game was ended, when to my 
surprise he suddenly dived, and regularly drowned 
every dog from its hold. Once again the gallant 
stag was free, and wisely turning his back upon his 
foes, he swam rapidly down the river with the pack 
swimming after him in full cry. 
