Part 7 (1/2)

The dogs rushed about, soreat lumps of food still in theirplaces Everything began to fall with dreadful crashes, the fat woly, and her shriek was--

”China! Oh! my china-a John, you wretch! Help! Help! Help!”

To which the Red-faced Man roared in answer--

”Don't be an infernal fool, Eliza-a I say, don't be such an infernal fool”

Also there were lots of other noises that I cannot re had thrust its head up the hole over a fire such as the stopsto shoot, either to hide soain because the Red-faced Man kicked it, the dog put its paws into the fire and pulled it all out over the floor Also it howled very beautifully Just then another hound, that one which generally led the pack, began to sniff about near me and finally poked its nose under the stuff which hid me

It jumped back and bayed, whereon I jumped out the other side To she was standing on, so that she fell aan to sniff her all over Flying fro filrass It looked suspicious, but as nothing in the world could be so bad as Tos, I jumped at it

There was a crash and a sharp point cut rass Then there were twenty other crashes, and all the hounds were out too, for Toe of the lawn and saw a steep slope leading to the sands and the sea Now I knehat the sea was, for after To while, and once swaet to my form, from which it cutlegs would carry me, I made up my mind that I would swim out into the sea and drown there, since it is better to drown than to be torn to pieces ”But why are you laughing, friend Mahat,” I said ”In this state, without a body, I have nothing to laugh with Still you are right, for you see that I should be laughing if I could Your story of the stout lady and the dogs and the china is very a”

”Perhaps, friend, but it did not a to be eaten alive”

”Of course it isn't,” I answered ”Please forgive o on”

”Well, I tus and Toed myself across the sands till I came to the lip of the sea”

Just here there was a boat and by it stood Giles the keeper He had co, which he hated as ht of his wanted to follow me, but Jerry called and whipped theht in the current and drowned,” he said ”Let the flea-bitten old devil go, she's brought trouble enough already”

”Help me shove off the boat, Giles,” shouted Tom ”She shan't beat us; we must have her for the hounds Come on, Ella”

”Best leave her alone, Master Tom,” said Giles ”I think she's an unlucky one, that I do”

Still the end of it was that he helped to float the little boat and got into it with Tom and Ella

Just after they had pushed off I saw ahis ar But of him they took no heed I do not think they noticed hio very fast because I was so dreadfully tired; also I did not like swi the cut inthem

I could not see far either, nor did I knohere I was going I knew nothing except I was about to die, and that soon everything would be at an end; s to come to an end I had suffered so dreadfully, life was so horrible, I was so very tired I felt that it was better to die and have done

So I swaht that I was playing in the big turnip field withexhausted a hand shot down into the water and caught ers looked as though they were bending away fro and tried to sink ot her,” said the voice of Toleefully ”My! isn't she a beauty? Over nine pounds if she is an ounce Only just in ti; her head wobbles as though she were sea-sick Buck up, pussie, buck up! You mustn't cheat the hounds at last, you know It wouldn't be sportsmanlike, and they hate dead hares”

Then he held s to drain the water out of an to blon my nose, I did not knohy

”Don't do that, Tom,” said Ella sharply ”It's nasty”

”Must keep the life in her so