until Dick Varley almost fell off his horse with suppressed

laughter. They let the hunters come close up,

waxing louder and louder in their wrath; but the instant

a hand was raised to throw a stone or point a

gun, a thousand little heads dived into a thousand holes,

and a thousand little tails wriggled for an instant in

the air--then a dead silence reigned over the deserted

scene.

"Bien, them's have dive into de bo'-els of de eart',"

said Henri with a broad grin.