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.

"'I hit him,' shouted Garry, 'I hit him then, I swon; but I guess not so
badly, but he can travel still. Look out you, Archer, he's squatted in
the thick there, and won't stir 'till they get close a top on him.'

"While he was speaking yet, a loud and startling shout arose from the
open field, announcing to my ear upon the instant that one or more had
broken covert at some unguarded spot, as it was evident from the absence
of any firing. The leader of our squad was clearly of the same opinion;
for, motioning to us to spread our line a little wider, he galloped off
at a tremendous rate, spurning the snowballs high into the air,
accompanied by three of his best men, to stop the gap which had been
left through the misapprehension of the Jerseyman.

"This he accomplished; but not until the great wolf, wilier than his
comrades, had got off unharmed. He had not moved five minutes before a
small dark bitch-wolf broke away through our line, at the angle furthest
from my station, and drew a scattering volley from more than half our
men--too rapid and too random to be deadly--though several of the balls
struck close about her, I thought she had got off scot free; but Jem
McDaniel--whom you know--a cool, old steady hand, had held his fire, and
taking a long quiet aim, lodged his ball fairly in the centre of her
sh