XXV 
THE SAM BUR 
327 
“At length he gained a footing in the bottom, 
where the river suddenly grew shallow; dis¬ 
daining further flight, he turned sharp round, and 
with an angry bark he dashed straight at his 
pursuers, striking them under water right and left. 
Now Lena came splendidly to the front, and sprang 
towards him from a shallow sandbank where she 
could obtain a footing, but the stag, foreseeing her 
intention, met her in her spring, and struck her 
down, following her up most viciously with his 
antlers. In another instant the bitch would have 
been impaled, but at this critical moment Valiant, 
who had gained a good position, cleverly sprang 
forward and seized him by the ear. Nothing 
could shake him from his hold. ‘ Hold him, good 
lad,’ I shouted, when Ploughboy, who was close 
alongside, seized the other ear. 
“The stag now rushed down the river with the two 
dogs hanging like earrings from his head. Rearing 
upon his hind legs, he vainly endeavoured to shake 
them from their determined hold. Rushing again 
into the deep water, once more he dived ; but all in 
vain ; as he reappeared upon the surface, the staunch 
couple were hanging like leeches at their places, 
although half - drowned, and regardless of many 
severe blows they had received from his fore¬ 
feet. 
“I now jumped into the river, with a loud cheer to 
the pack, and the knife bared. In another moment 
the greyhounds sprang upon the stag. The spray 
flew from the blows of his feet, as he lashed out in all 
