Part 16 (2/2)
Several si the serfs, with siovern themselves They may at some time become so, but at present, were they to atte certain destruction on thee I speak to you as a friend, and perhaps in an unpatriotic way tell you of occurrences which ought to be kept secret; but I trust that you have seen e us over harshly when you hear of soive notice that the pack have found soame It will soon break cover, and then away after it!”
Besides the gaily-coated picqueurs on horseback, a nureen breeches, and oven sandals, were engaged with long sticks in beating the bushes and underhich grew in thick clualloped about outside, sounding their horns, shouting to the peasants, and watching eagerly the s On a sudden the huntsaily than before, the people shouted, and a large fox broke fro the skirts of the wood Aent the hounds, and aent the horse ”Tally ho! Tally ho!” in right honest British fashi+on, while the peasants gave utterance to the wildest cries, which sounded wonderfully strange in the travellers' ears
It was not very hard riding, although Mr Evergreen seemed to think it so; but as he was mounted on a fast horse, he, in spite of himself, kept well ahead of side each other, and the two Markhaone far when another fox showed his nose out of the wood, apparently to learn as going forward, and a few of the dogs instantly made chase after him, while the huntsmen followed the main body
”Tally ho!” shouted Fred Markham ”Harry, let us have a hunt of our own It will be fine fun to bring hoot all by ourselves”
”Capital fun,” answered Harry; and boy-like, thought less of the consequences, away they galloped after the four or five dogs which had separated themselves from the chase No one followed The fox led the old fellow, and are that they would thus have the greatest difficulty in overtaking his had still the scent of the old fox
”I wish that we could kill a deer now,” exclai to boast of”
”Or a wolf, rather,” cried Fred ”That is nobler gaht”
”Yes, I should like to fall in with a wolf,” responded his brother
”But I say, Fred, how are we to kill him if we find him?”
”Knock him on the head with the butt end of our whip! That is what he deserves, at all events”
”Easier said than done,” observed Harry ”However, I'll stick by you, don't fear, if we should find one of the rascals I shall ever hate a wolf after the story we heard the other night”
Thus talking, the lads galloped on Suddenly a deer started up frolade which lay before them They looked round for the old fox--he was nowhere to be seen, and the dogs appeared to have lost the scent
However, as soon as the deer began to run they followed, evidently not at all particular as to what they had to pursue
”Rare fun this is,” shouted Fred and Harry, as they galloped after the deer But the dogs, already tired, had not the slightest chance of overtaking the ni hunters been provided with rifles, they could quickly have brought her to the ground
”Hallo! Where is she?” exclai a thick cluo,” answered Harry ”Let us get round to the other side of the cluone through the clu way beyond it, for she was nowhere to be seen on the other side The dogs also were equally at fault, and began to stray about, as if each one was resolved to have a hunt by hiot to by this ti to the ruined house where the hunt had met, but in what direction to find it was the puzzle
”This is worse than losing ourselves in the streets of Saint Petersburg,” cried Harry, as in no ways daunted ”The fox and the deer have brought us all this way--I e could find a wolf or a bear to show us the road hoain”
”Not much chance of that,” answered Fred, as they rode on in the direction they fancied would lead them whence they had co brute showing his head out of the hollow sturowl saluted their ears
”A big she-wolf and her cubs,” shouted Harry ”Let's knock her over, the brute”
”Forso rash,” cried Fred ”She will prove an ugly custo teeth and ferocious aspect of the wolf fully corroborated Fred's assertion Still the lads did not like to decline the combat, but without fire-arms or spears they were hard pressed to knohat to do They rode round and round the tree at a respectful distance, the wolf following theh she would not leave her cubs either to escape or to attack thehtless of the risk they ran, could not bring theive her a lick over the chops, just to remind her that she must not eat up little children in future,” cried Harry, riding up towards the beast The wolf looked at Harry, as much as to say, ”You had better not, s” Harry rode on The wolf stood up, and advanced a step or two beyond her lair, grinning horribly
”Stay, stay, Harry!” shouted Fred, dashi+ng on before him ”The ill fly at you”
The wolf took the nal of attack, and with a terrible snarl, which sounded far , flew at Fred's horse, evidently intending to pull the rider to the ground Never had Fred been in peril so terrific A cry of horror escaped hi his presence of an to belabour the head of the wolf Harry, true to his pro daunted, caiven with a hearty good-will, had not the slightest effect on the head of the wolf On the contrary, they only seeo, but it was only to spring again with surer ais, reared with pain and fright, as the savage brute again sprang towards his would have been fixed in Fred's thigh Alas! Poor fellow!
His life was in dreadful jeopardy