Scarcely, however, had A--- gained his feet, before a sight met his
eyes, which made him leave the colt, and run as fast as his legs could
carry him toward the scene of action.
The stag, seeing his human enemy so near, had strained every nerve to
escape, and Harry, desperately rash and daring, seeing he could not turn
or head him, actually spurred upon him counter to broadside, in hope to
ride him down; foiled once again, in this--his last hope, as it seemed--
he drew his longest knife, and as--a quarter of a second too late only--
he crossed behind the buck, he swung himself half out of his saddle, and
striking a full blow, succeeded in hamstringing him; while the gray,
missing the support of the master-hand, stumbled and fell upon his head.
Horse, stag, and man, all rolled upon the ground within the compass of
ten yards--the terrified and wounded deer striking out furiously in all
directions--so that it seemed impossible that Archer could escape some
deadly injury--while, to increase the fury and the peril of the scene,
the hounds came up, and added their fresh fierceness to the fierce
confusion. Before, however, A--- came up, Harry had gained his feet,
drawn his small knife--the larger having luckily flown many yards as he
fell--and running in behind the struggling quarry, had seized the brow
antler, and at one strong and skilful blow, severed the weasand and the
jugular.
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