THE YELLOWSTONE PARK 21 



There's a good buck coming." 1 jumped off Snips, 

 the same little horse I rode when hunting wapiti, 

 and of whom I got very fond, at the same time 

 pulling my rifle out of its scabbard. Then we 

 dropped our reins on to the ground, and cautiously 

 advanced to the edge of the rise. There was the 

 buck, looking very smart and dapper, but withal 

 somewhat fairy-like as the sun glowed on his light 

 coat, crossing the dip below us. It was not a good 

 chance, so we watched him walk slowly over the 

 opposite knoll and out of sight. He was but little 

 alarmed, and though as a doe and her fawns suddenly 

 sprang from their hiding-place amongst the sage 

 and trotted off we had some qualms, they were un- 

 necessary. " He'll be down soon ! " said Yarnall, 

 " and then we've got him." His optimism was 

 contagious, and as I remounted Snips the world 

 seemed a very good place to be in. We followed 

 on slowly. Presently the old man left his pony, 

 the reins trailing on the ground, and crept forward 

 to the top of the ridge. At first he saw nothing ; 

 then very, very slowly he sank down on his knees, 

 and by the time his glass was out, I knelt beside 

 him with something of my excitement showing in 

 my face. " It's all right," he whispered reassur- 

 ingly. " There he is ! " There he was too ; but a 

 terribly long way off it seemed to me. Yarnall 

 gave a hasty comprehensive glance around, but the 

 buck had seen us and there was no help for it. 

 " You must take him as he is," he murmured. " It's 



