WAYS OF RED DEER. 103 



wards that the ball from the old gunner's 

 weapon had grazed the stag's heart, and yet 

 with that wound he had run upwards of a 

 mile. No other bullet had struck him ; it 

 was a wonder where all the balls had gone 

 to, for the shooters were so close to each 

 other they narrowly escaped wounding them- 

 selves by the cross fire. 



The party were so tired of walking after 

 the stag that they did not go at once to 

 ascertain if he was really dead, or to cut the 

 throat. They sat down in the heather to 

 refresh themselves with the spirits, and so 

 well did they do this that by-and-by the 

 old gunner fell firm asleep. Neither blows 

 nor shouts could rouse him, so in order to 

 wake him up they set fire to the heather, 

 little thinking of what they were doing. 

 Dry as tinder, the heather blazed up in such 

 a fury of flame that they fled aside to get 

 out of the way, leaving the sleeper to his fate. 



