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176 security, heedless of his enemies, they had passed the Liddens and come within earshot of the old man, who had scarcely finished his soliloquy when he started to his feet with the exclamation, 'What's that?' and stood listening as intently as the otter a little earlier had listened for a reply to his call. This time, however, the reply came. 'Surely theere 'tes again,' and a few seconds later, as the cry rose afresh, he shouted ''Tes they' so loudly that he attracted the child who joined him on the furze-rick he had hurriedly climbed.

'Do 'ee hear them, Mary? 'Tes the hounds. Hark! cheeld.'

'I hear something, granfer.'

'Wheere do 'ee make the cry to come from?' and for answer she pointed with her free hand to the Kites' Cairn. 'Now keep an eye on the rocks, and tell me if you see any thin'.'

'There's something streaming through the Fairies' Gap this minit. . . . Now it's like a shadow, a moving shadow on the down. . . . They're dogs. My word, such a passel of them, all in a bunch!'

Then they passed from sight and the weird cry almost died away; but presently the chorus swelled, and swelled, and swelled, and then the old man saw the hounds, like maddened things,