The road at this point of the wood made a short and very sudden angle,
so as to enclose a small point of extremely dense thicket between its
two branches; on one of these was our wagon, and down the other the
lumber-wain was rumbling, at the moment when this strange and most
unexpected outcry started us all.
"What in t' fient's neam is yon?" cried Timothy.
"And what the devil's that?" responded I and Archer in a breath.
But whatever it was that had aroused the dogs to such an most unusual
pitch of fury, it went crashing through the brush-wood for some five or
six strokes at a fearful rate toward the other wagon; before, however it
had reached the road, a most appalling shout from Jem, followed upon the
instant by the blended voices of all the hounds opening at once, as on a
view, excited us yet farther!
I was still tugging at my double gun, in the vain hope of getting it out
time enough for action. Tom had scrambled out of the wagon on the first
alarm, and stood eye, ear, and heart erect, by the off side of the
horses, which were very restless, pawing, and plunging violently, and
almost defying Timothy best skill to hold them; while Harry, having cast
off his box-coat, stood firm and upright on the foot board as a carved
statue, with his rifle cocked and ready; when, headed back upon us by
the yell of Lyn and the loud clamor of his fresh foes, the first buck I
had seen in America, and the largest I had seen any where, dashed at a
single plunge into the round, clearing the green head of a fallen
hemlock, apparently without an effort, his splendid antlers laid back on
his neck, and his white flag lashing his fair round haunch as the fleet
bitches Bonny Belle and Blossom yelled with their shrill fierce trebles
close behind him.
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