"A second and a third fox were killed easily enough. Suddenly a fourth started up between me and the Grand Duke. I caught sight of him, a long, lean animal with hardly any tail. I knew at once he was what I was after.
"'Ours!' I cried to Rudolph.
"He spurred his great brute into a gallop.
"The fox was a hundred yards ahead. Good little beast! He made straight for the thickest cover.
"Every now and then the Grand Duke turned round:
"'I'm not going too fast, am I? Can you keep up?' he asked, panting.
"'Go on! Go on!' I replied.
"And Taras-Bulba snorted as if to echo:
"'Go on! Go on!'
"Soon we were in the depths of the woods. Then I just touched my little nag's neck and gave him his head. In a moment the Grand Duke was left behind.