94 STORIES FROM DAUDET

them. As we passed, one of the sports-
men exclaimed :

‘Let us shoot over the plain this
morning ; we will take the wood after
breakfast.’

Then I understood why my old
companion led at first under the
hedge. All the same my heart beat,
especially in thinking of our poor
friends.

Suddenly, at the moment we reached
the covert, the dogs took to galloping
on our side.

‘Lie down, lie down,’ said the old
fellow to me, himself crouching ; at the
same time, two paces from us, a
frightened quail opened its wings and
beak quite wide, and flew off with a
scream of terror. I heard a dreadful
noise, and we were surrounded by an
odd-smelling dust which was quite
white and quite hot, though the sun
had hardly risen. I was so frightened
I could hardly run. Fortunately we
were just entering the wood. My