The fox was crashing through the[Pg 21]underbrush just ahead of his pursuers,now tearing his way through hangingvines and again leaping over rocks andstreams. The leopards came closer andcloser behind him. On they flew throughswamps and thickets, into thorn bushesand bramble patches and across deep ravines,and not even the wind could keepup with them. At last the poor fox wastired out. His legs were torn and bleeding,he had left bunches of his fur on manya bush and thorn, his feet were bruisedand lame and his breath almost gone.