But there was still something
left for us to see before we reached its shelter. While we sat quietly
in the boat--for the silence was broken only by the lapping of the still
waters against its sides and the occasional splash of the slackened
tow-line upon their surface--we heard a distant sound as of a hunt in
full cry.
Nearer and nearer it came, its volume swelling every moment, till it
was quite close at last. Now echoing from the trodden earth of the
towing-path--not that on which our ponies travelled, but the other on
the west bank of the river--was heard the beat of the hoofs of a horse
galloping furiously. Presently it appeared, a fine, white animal, on the
back of which sat a man. It passed us like a flash, but as he went by
the man lifted himself and turned his head, so that we saw his face in
the moonlight; saw also the agony of fear that was written on it and in
his eyes.
He had come out of the darkness. He was gone into the darkness, but
after him swelled that awful music. Look! a dog appeared, a huge, red
dog, that dropped its foaming muzzle to the ground as it galloped, then
lifted it and uttered a deep-throated, bell-like bay. Others followed,
and yet others: in all there must have been a hundred of them, every one
baying as it took the scent.
"_The death-hounds!_" I muttered, clasping Leo by the arm.
"Yes," he answered, "they are running that poor devil.
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