A SENTRY DOE. 171 



clown to graze, Alan managed to crawl along the ground to 

 the shelter of the rocks. Here he was quite safe from the 

 doe, and, peering cautiously round a stone, he at last made 

 out the ram, but at least five hundred yards distant. 



There was no other male to be seen, but several does 

 were feeding farther up the hill. The wind was light but 

 steady, and blew straight from the oorial ; and they seemed 

 to be feeding towards the rocks. It was impossible to get 

 nearer, so Alan decided to lie quiet, on the chance of the 

 ram coming within easy shooting distance. About a 

 hundred and thirty yards off was a little shrub, and he 

 determined to fire if the ram came in line with it. The 

 oorial moved very slowly, cropping the grass all round them 

 before advancing a step. 



After a time, the ram had approached to within two 

 hundred yards, when suddenly the sentry doe's head 

 appeared above the ridge, and she trotted forward into 

 view. Then she stood still, and looked steadfastly towards 

 the broken country. 



At first Alan was afraid that a puff of wind must have 

 betrayed him ; and as the other does came trotting in like 

 an outlying picket, he thought the herd was about to rush 

 over the hill, and was half inclined to risk a shot. But they 

 all stood still, with raised heads and ears pricked, gazing in 

 the same direction as the doe. Looking round, Alan, to 

 his intense disgust, saw a man, who must lie one of his own 



