for the sake of the little one, but every moment got ahead,
involuntarily, then stopped, and strove by piteous cries to urge
the fawn to do its best.

What did it mean? The mystery was soon explained, the deep bay of a
hound was heard close behind.

Martin's deep sympathies with the animal creation were aroused at
once, and he stood in the opening the deer had made, his short
hunting spear in hand.

"Take care--what are you about!" cried Hubert.

The next instant the deerhound came in sight, and in a few leaps
would have attained his prey had not Martin been in the way; but
the boy knelt on one knee, presenting his spear full at the dog,
who, springing down a bank through the opening, literally impaled
itself upon it.

"Good heavens!" said Hubert, "to kill a hound, a good hound like
this."

"Didn't you see the poor fawn and its mother? I wasn't going to let
the brute touch them. I would have died first."

Just then the voices of men came from the wood.

"See, they follow upon the track of the deer; let us run, we are in
for it else."