, and he
heeded nought else. And he ran towards the place where he heard it
call loudest, and found it rushing round a bend, very smoothly and
quietly, but very swiftly. At every foot below it seemed to rush
faster, till fifty yards down it struck against a bridge of three
arches, through which it raced like a cataract and poured down with a
thundering roar into a boiling pool beneath.

And the Stag leaped in and set his back against some alders that grew
on the opposite bank, choosing his place cunningly where he could
stand but the hounds must swim. Then he clenched his teeth and threw
back his head, and dared his enemies to do their worst. And the brown
stream washed merrily round him, singing low, but as sweetly as he had
ever heard it.

"_Come down with me, come. Oh! merry and free_
_Is the race from the forest away to the sea._
_The pool is before me; I hark to its call_
_And I hasten my speed for the leap o'er the fall._
_The Salmon are waiting impatient below,_
_I feel them spring upward as over I go._
_Come down with me, come; why linger you here?_
_You know me, the friend of the wild Red-Deer._"

Then the voice of the water was broken, for the black and tan hound
came bounding down in advance of the rest over the grass to the water,
caught view of the Deer where he stood, and throwing up his head bayed
loud and deep and long. And other hounds came hurrying down through
the wood, speaking quick and short, for they were mad with impatience;
and bursting through the fence straight to the black and tan hound
they joined their voices in exultation to his. Then a few, a very few,
men came up hastening with what speed they might on their weary,
hobbling horses, a man on a white horse leading them, and they added
their wild yells to the baying of the hounds, while ever and anon the
shrill tones of the horn rose high above them all in short, quick,
jubilant notes. Soon some of the hounds grew tired of baying in front
and flew round to the bank behind him, still yelling fiercely in
impotent rage; and the maddening clamour rang far up the valley
through the sweet, still evening. The Fallow-Deer huddled themselves
close among the trees, and the pigeons hushed their cooing and flew
swift and high in the air from the terror of the sound. But the Stag
stood unmoved in the midst of the baying ring, with his noble head
thrown back and his chin raised scornfully aloft, in all the pride
and