Several men leaped their horses clean over, close upon the dogs.

The hare tried to get through the fence; it was too thick, and she turned sharp around to make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild cries; we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her.

One of the huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who would soon have torn her to pieces.

He held her up by the leg, torn and bleeding, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.
[Illustration] As for me, I was so astonished that I did not at first see what was going on by the brook; but when I did look, there was a sad sight; two fine horses were down; one was struggling in the stream, and the other was groaning on the grass.

One of the riders was getting out of the water covered with mud, the other lay quite still.
"His neck is broken," said my mother.
"And serves him right, too," said one of the colts.
I thought the same, but my mother did not join with us.
"Well, no," she said, "you must not say that; but though I am an old horse, and have seen and heard a great deal, I never yet could make out why men are so fond of this sport; they often hurt themselves, often spoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and all for a hare, or a fox, or a stag, that they could get more easily some other way; but we are only horses, and don't know." While my mother was saying this, we stood and looked on.