Moreover, she was exceedingly fair to look upon--young, beautiful, and a most incongruous companion for the bloody rascal who had her in his power.

The raft bumped against the reedy bank, and Anderson Crow was the first man ashore.
"Come on, boys; follow me! See that your guns are all right! Straight up the hill now, an' spread out a bit so's we can surround him!" commanded he in a high treble.
"'But supposin' he surrounds us," panted a cautious pursuer, half way up the hill.
"That's what we've got to guard against," retorted Anderson Crow.

The posse bravely swept up to and across the greensward; but the fox was gone: There was no sight or sound of him to be had.

It is but just to say that fatigue was responsible for the deep breath that came from each member of the pursuing party.
"Into the woods after him!" shouted Anderson Crow.

"Hunt him down like a rat!" In the meantime a coatless young man and a most enticing young woman were scampering off among the oaks and underbrush, consumed by excitement and no small degree of apprehension.
"They really seem to be in earnest about it, Jack," urged the young woman insistently, to offset his somewhat sarcastic comments.
"How the dickens do you suppose they got onto me ?" he groaned.