CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO AUTUMN 



panic seemed to seize the hinds, and they all trotted to- 

 gether a short way up the hill; the large stag had got up 

 also, but seemed not at all disposed to make off. The hinds 

 came to a halt near the top of the first slope of the hill, and 

 were joined immediately by about a dozen stags, who, col- 

 lecting together, galloped up the hill to join them; this 

 seemed to arouse the old fellow, and he trotted up after 

 them. The hinds only waited for his joining them,and then 

 the whole herd set off towards my pass. They had to cross 

 a trifling hollow, during which time I lost sight of them. 

 When they emerged their order had quite changed; first 

 of all came eight stags in a body, jostling each other as 

 they hurried up through the narrow passes of the rocks; 

 then came the whole lot of hinds, mostly in single file, but 

 breaking into confused flocks as they passed over pieces 

 of heather and open ground; next to them came the object 

 of our manoeuvres, and at a small distance behind him the 

 rest of the stags, four or five in number. On they came, 

 sometimes in full view and sometimes half concealed from 

 me. Donald, too, now showed himself, waving his plaid. 

 The hindmost deer halted on seeing him, and then rushed 

 on to the main herd, who now all got into rare confusion 

 as they hurried on to the pass through which they left the 

 glen. The foremost stags were now passing one by one 

 within forty yards of me; just at that point they had to make 

 a spring over a kind of chasm in their road. I kept quite 

 motionless, and they did not observe me, half concealed as 

 ~l was amongst the grey rocks. Now came the hinds, with 

 a noise like a rushing stream, amongst them were four or 

 five stags; they were trotting quickly past me, when an un- 

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