TUE MULE DEER. 311 



deemed to bo sixty yards of them, I raised my head and 

 peered cautiously forward ; and when I saw they were still 

 there my heart gave a throb of joy, for I felt almost sure 

 of one at least; but, before I could raise my rifle, they 

 were off like a flash, and running past me up the moun- 

 tain. I fired at random, and almost simultaneously with 

 my report came another from the left. Rushing into the 

 glade to see what the result of the fire was, I met my com- 

 panion, and we both commenced searching for some signs 

 of blood ; and though we followed up the slots, which were 

 readily discernible in the grass for half a mile, in the most 

 careful manner, we concluded that both had missed, and 

 we blessed ourselves accordingly. 



As the characteristic of a true hunter is to never get dis- 

 heartened under any circumstances, we resumed our jour- 

 ney, and began crawling and peering as before. Wc had 

 not proceeded far before we saw four or five in a group 

 near a ravine, and these we tried to stalk at once. I went 

 up the mountain to head them off; and on reaching a fa- 

 vorable position for a running shot, I gave a long but not 

 loud whistle, as a signal to my companion that he might 

 open the ball. He answered promptly with his rifle, and, 

 on hearing it, I jumped behind a tree and placed my gun 

 to my shoulder. In a few seconds I heard a crashing 

 through the bushes, and, on looking out, saw a splendid 

 stag come bounding toward me at an easy gait. I wait- 

 ed until he came to within a few yards of me, then gave 

 a sharp whistle. He halted at once to learn its import, 

 and gazed in the direction whence the sound emanated; 

 but before he could decide what it was, I planted a bullet 

 right between the eyes, and he fell forward on his face 

 stone dead. " Hoopoe !" yelled I, in the most joyous man- 

 ner, and, a little later, I heard a voice issuing from the for- 

 est, and calling out, " Have you got him ?" " Yes," said 

 I ; " come and see what a fine fellow he is." The owner 

 of the voice was soon beside me, and using complimentary 

 terms for bagging " such a fine critter." He was evident- 

 ly full grown; for his antlers, which were large and wide- 



