"Can I not step forward, and shoot one of them ?" "No," replied Lucien, "they would be off like the wind, before you could get within range." "What about Marengo?
Can he not catch one ?" "I think not; besides, he would tear it in pieces.

No.

Our only chance is to remain here.

They appear to be making this way." The three now took their stations behind the trunks of large trees, so as not to be observed by the timid little animals.
The latter, as they fed and sported over the grass, were still getting nearer to the edge of the grove; but as they advanced in an oblique direction, they were not likely to approach the point where the young hunters were stationed.

These thought of moving farther along, so as to meet them; and were about starting to do so, when an object appeared that caused them to remain where they were.
Silently moving among the weeds and brambles, now trotting quickly behind the covering of a prostrate log, now slowly crawling over the more open ground, went a strange animal.