o consider the danger, Basil dashed into their midst,
followed by Francois and Lucien. It was well they were mounted, else
they never would have come out of that crowd again. All three had fired
as they rode up. They believed that this would have scattered the
drove; but they found their mistake, for although each of them shot down
a victim, it had no effect; and the next moment, their three horses were
hopping about, plunging and pitching as badly as Jeanette. The javalies
surrounded them with shrill gruntings, driving their tusks into the
horses' shanks, and leaping up almost high enough to reach the riders
themselves. It was well for them they were good riders. Had any of
them been unhorsed at that moment, his fate would have been sealed.
They kept their saddles, however, but without being able to reload their
pieces. Marengo, who was an old Texas hound, had seen javalies before;
and having wisely shied off upon the prairie, stood looking on.

The young hunters soon saw that it was no use keeping their ground, and
prepared to retreat. Basil urged his horse forward to the tree, and
with his hunting-knife cut the lasso that fastened Jeanette; then,
shouting to his brothers to follow, started in a gallop across the
prairie.

Perhaps never was a mule more pleased at getting loose from a fastening
than was that she-mule Jeanette; and never did a mule make better use of
the heels that had been left her. She galloped over the prairie, as if
the very deuce had been after her. But if he _was not_, the javalies
_were_; for on came the whole drove, scores of them, grunting and
screaming as they ran.

The horses easily distanced them. So, too, did Marengo--but there was
still danger for Jeanette. She had been now nearly two days without
either food or water, and was weak in consequence. Her legs, too, were
much torn by the tusks of the wild-hogs. Moreover, the tent that had
got loose, trailing on one side to the ground, considerably impeded her
flight. This last circumstance in the end proved her salvation; for the
javalies, overtaking her, seized the hanging canvas in their jaws, and
pulled it from the pack. It fell spreading over the grass like a
blanket; and the herd, now coming up and mistaking it for their real
enemy, commenced stamping upon it with their hoofs, and tearing it with
their teeth. This gave Jeanette time; and she was just the mule at that
moment to profit by it. Lightened of her load, she s