ver I went. I struck my
head, I fancy, against the thick root of a tree rising out of the
ground, and was so much hurt that a minute or more passed before I could
rise. By the time I was on my feet, and had looked about me, Solon and
my companions had disappeared. I had little doubt about overtaking them
speedily, as I had still before me the bloody track of the wounded deer.
Keeping my eyes on it, I went on as fast as I could run. Again the
forest opened a little. I thought that the traces had grown less
distinct, or rather lighter than before. Whereas hitherto every foot
nearly of ground had been marked with a drop of blood, now I could only
discover one at the distance of one or two yards from each other. I did
not shout even to ask my companions to stop for me, so fully persuaded
was I that I should soon come up with them. I was conscious, however,
that I was not making such good way as at first, and I knew that till
they brought the stag to bay, or till it dropped, they would probably
outstrip me. On I went. Every moment I thought that I most overtake
Nowell and Dango. Sometimes I even fancied that I heard their voices
before me, and Solon's well-known bark. This encouraged me to proceed,
and I ran even faster than before. Of course I was in a terrific heat,
having to carry my heavy rifle, and to go along at such speed for so
long a time. At length I came to an open glade. Still the deer tracks
marked the grass, so I hurried across and found myself in another open
clump of trees. I thought by the direction in which the trees cast
their long shadows over the ground that I was making a straight course,
and so I believe I was. On, on I ran; an unnatural excitement, it seems
to me, had seized me; I did not like the idea that Nowell was hunting a
deer with my dog, and would catch it when I was not present, so I said
to myself, "I am determined to be in at the death at all events." I
could not possibly calculate how far I had gone, nor how time had
passed. At length my legs began to feel an excessive weariness, and my
usual senses returning, I observed that the sun was rapidly sinking
towards the horizon. On stopping and reflecting for a moment, the
thought struck me with painful vividness, that I must by some means or
other have followed a different track from my companions and missed them
altogether. The thought that such was too probably the case almost took
away my breath, and made my heart sink wi