him over more upon the muscles of his shoulders and back. On the other hand, in the case of turning a somersault, the farther from the horse, the better.

A big prickly pear hedge or two were the next fences to be negotiated. Choosing her spot and riding down at the first one fairly fast, M. landed well on the opposite side. The next was stiffer, and had a little ditch towards them; the pace was beginning to tell. Pulling her horse up to a canter and getting him well together, she ought to have cleared it easily, but it was a bad take off; anyhow, they blundered it, and the Arab came on his head and got a nasty cut or two from the prickly pear, which at the same time unnecessarily ventilated M.'s skirt and exposed a large amount of boot! However, S., G., and herself were all going strong, when the pig took advantage of a scrap of cover to squat down and recover his wind. The two men rode on to view him away; M. remained behind, and suddenly a rustle behind her betrayed the cunning hog, thinking he had given every one the slip, creeping out where he had gone in, and scurrying away almost on his own old line again. A shout brought S. and G., and they were galloping in pursuit once more.

And now a sharp turn right-handed had, after a sloping field, brought an ugly-looking, deep nullah across the line. It was a breakneck drop, but without hesitation the boar threw himself down, and then, leaping some six feet up on the opposite side, was off. M. found a place lower down where her clever

little Arab scrambled in and out, and was once more following the other two, in view still of the pig as he galloped along. It was a rough bit of country, overgrown here and there with tufts of grass; and suddenly there was a flutter of habit, a vision of heels, the little Arab disappeared in a buffalo hole, and M. landed in the middle of some tall reeds on the edge. She had her reins, which always saves the extreme annoyance of being left riderless; but in this case she had her horse to extricate, and having picked up her spear and scrambled on again, was just in time to see the pig, some way ahead, charging some unfortunate natives, who were cutting reeds and grass for thatching purposes, on the right. Indignant and vindictive, he deliberately deviated from his course, caught one fugitive between the knees as he fled, cutting his thighs badly, sending him head over heels, and went on his own way rejoicing. A pig possesses the shortest temper of any living animal, and when roused, his sharp, curving tusks, used with incredible swiftness and unerring aim, are useful instruments !

It is quite impossible in pig-sticking to watch the ground over which one rides; the sole aim and object must be to keep the eye on the pig, and with a childlike faith to place all else in the hands of the horse. Corners must not be cut off nor short cuts chosen in bad ground, for no one has any idea what they may be coming to, whereas the pig must have found some sort of a footing (however "sketchy that footing may be), and is better than no guide at all.

A little farther on, and S. was upset over a goanchie, as they call a lump formed by roots of grass he was soon on again and leading with G.; but there were indeed "wigs on the green" that day.

Now they were gradually overhauling the pig. G. was close to him, with his spear in readiness; but every time he got within spearing distance the pig would jink, and leave G. some paces to the bad. Now this side, now that side, he jinked. Meanwhile, M. was coming up upon the right, her good little mount white with lather, but no one was looking as fresh as when they started; the pig, as he jinked, seemed to be edging over right-handed too. However, she pressed on; rattle-rattle went the hoofs over the hard ground. Suddenly the pig darted round, seemed to get away like lightning from S., and in another moment was charging for all he was worth at M.

Often and often it happens that the best man, the first man, does not get "first spear"; so now. Drink to the unexpected! it was going to lie with M. to do or die. In a brief second all the wellknown injunctions flash through the mind, of which "keep hold of your spear till death do you part" is first and all-important: time for reason was there none, it was a field for instinct alone.

On came the pig straight for the Arab's shoulder and forelegs a gallant charge. Keeping her horse going at best pace, M. leaned well down, intending to lunge her spear straight into him low down in the

body, just behind the shoulder, directly he was within reach. Her body swung forward as she made the effort . . . there followed an instant of deadly sickness

Gracious heavens! she missed him. It was but an instant, home went the pig's charge, and over went the Arab as though he had been a ninepin. M. was hurtled into the air, a vision of sky followed, and then stars. Sitting loose as she leaned down, she came well away from the horse, and a few seconds after, getting up giddy and sick, the first thing her dazed eyes rested on was the pig charging again at her as hard as he could gallop, with a hoarse grunt of resolute defiance. His bristles were all erect, standing up at right angles to his curved spine, his great wedge-shaped head and keen tusks were lowered, his vast muscle working round the great shoulders all seemed to add a savage resolution to his charge. M.'s spear lay several feet off her, and she did the only thing there was time to do-threw herself flat on her face and lay still. In another second the pig was cutting what remained of her habit into ribbons, and she could feel sharp gash after gash in the small of her back as he tore at the body of his prostrate foe. Then G.'s voice rang out, and never was woman more glad. He speared the boar and drew him off M., who sat up once more, considerably bruised and battered, but still with plenty of life. The last scenes in such a contest would be sad and horrible, if they were not so full of danger and excitement.