136 A HUNDRED YEARS 



a mile in front of the Allt Giuthais. So we minuetted 

 along slowly till old Duncan dropped down in front 

 of us as if shot, turning round with his tongue out and 

 holding up his spread fingers above his bonnet to signal 

 * deer's horns seen/ Then we peeped and saw them 

 too, and we had almost to choke Gill, who was mad to 

 get on. A short council of war sent me away to the left 

 to strike the burn half a mile down, and I was soon there 

 waiting till wanted. The two others and Gill took to 

 the right, and soon halloaed to me to look out. The stag 

 as soon as he saw them flew to the burn and crossed 

 it into the fir-wood, which grew out of six-foot-long 

 heather and ferns, and but for Gill we should have seen no 

 more of him. Gill, however, was at his heels in a few 

 minutes and compelled him to fly back to the burn, 

 where the men with stones prevented his keeping the 

 dog at bay, and speedily drove him through the rough 

 ravine and burn past me, where my rifle ended the sad 

 story. And then we found that Hector's bullet the 

 previous year had broken his fore fetlock. The wound 

 had healed, but it was only a flail foot, and a mere 

 nuisance to the poor, beautiful fellow. I think he had 

 nine points, but was well and fat. ' Yes,' said Hector, 

 ' on my corn and potatoes, digging the potatoes out of 

 the pits with his horns, the rascal !' Even with three 

 feet he was a grand beast. 



'* I am reminded that when Hector Cameron kept 

 the Tigh Dige in birds and beasts he was one day on top 

 of this same wood (Glas Leitir), watching a roebuck 

 feeding some hundreds of yards down in the flat below. 

 He stopped. What is that other red beast evidently 



