the wildest savage between
Hudson's Bay and Oregon. Seeing and hearing this, old Mr Kennedy
wheeled about and dashed off in pursuit with much greater energy than he
had displayed in chase of the wolf.

The race bade fair to be a long one, for the young horse was strong in
wind and limb; and the gray mare, though decidedly not the "better
horse," was much fresher than the other.

The hunters, who were now joined by Harry Somerville, did not feel it
incumbent on them to follow this new chase; so they contented themselves
with watching their flight towards the fort, while they followed at a
more leisurely pace.

Meanwhile Charley rapidly neared Fort Garry, and now began to wonder
whether the stable door was open, and if so, whether it were better for
him to take his chance of getting his neck broken, or to throw himself
into the next snow-drift that presented itself.

He had not to remain long in suspense. The wooden fence that enclosed
the stable-yard lay before him. It was between four and five feet high,
with a beaten track running along the outside, and a deep snow-drift on
the other. Charley felt that the young horse had made up his mind to
leap this. As he did not at the moment see that there was anything
better to be done, he prepared for it. As the horse bent on his
haunches to spring, he gave him a smart cut with the whip, went over
like a rocket, and plunged up to the neck in the snow-drift, which
brought his career to an abrupt conclusion. The sudden stoppage of the
horse was one thing, but the arresting of Master Charley was _another_
and quite a different thing. The instant his charger landed, he left
the saddle like a harlequin, described an extensive curve in the air,
and fell head foremost into the drift, above which his boots and three
inches of his legs alone remained to tell the tale.

On witnessing this climax, Mr Kennedy, senior, pulled up, dismounted,
and ran--with an expression of some anxiety on his countenance--to the
help of his son; while Tom Whyte came out of the stable just in time to
receive the "noo 'oss" as he floundered out of the snow.

"I believe," said the groom, as he surveyed the trembling charger, "that
your son has broke the noo 'oss, sir, better nor I could 'ave done
myself."

"I believe that my son has broken his neck," said Mr Kennedy
wrathfully. "Come here and help me to dig him out."

In a few minutes Charley was dug out, in a state of insensibility, and
carri