Scarce had the first yell echoed through the forest before
the pattering of many feet might be heard, mingled with the rustling of
the matted boughs throughout the covert--and as the beaters came on, a
whole host of rabbits, with no less than seven foxes, two of them gray,
came scampering through our line in mortal terror; but on they went
unharmed, for strict had been the orders that no shot should be fired,
save at the lawful objects of the chase. Just at this moment I saw
Garry, who stood a hundred feet above me on the hill, commanding the
whole basin of the swamp, bring up his rifle. This was enough for me--my
thumb was on the cock, the nail of my forefinger pressed closely on the
trigger-guard. He lowered it again, as though he had lost sight of his
object--raised it again with great rapidity, and fired. My eye was on
the muzzle of his piece, and just as the bright stream of flame glanced
from it, distinctly visible in the dim of morning twilight, before my
ear had caught the sound of the report, a sharp long snarl rose from the
thicket, announcing that a wolf was wounded. Eagerly, keenly did I
listen; but there came no further sound to tell me of his whereabouts.
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