258 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



had resolution to reserve my fire, reflecting that I had but one 

 barrel. He went into the burn at a deep pool, and, standing 

 in it up to his knees, took a long drink. I stooped to put 

 on a new copper cap and prick the nipple of my rifle ; and 

 on looking up again, he was gone ! I was in despair, and was 

 on the point of moving rashly, when I saw his horns again 

 appear a little father off, but not more than fifty yards from 

 the burn. By and by they lowered, and I judged he was 

 lying down. ' Your mine at last,' I said ; and I crept cau- 

 tiously up the bed of the burn till I was opposite where he 

 had lain down. 



" I carefully, and inch by inch,- placed my rifle over the bank, 

 and then ventured to look along it. I could see only his 

 horns, but within an easy shot. I was afraid to move higher 

 up the bed of the burn, where I could have seen his body ; 

 the direction of the wind made that dangerous. I took breath 

 for a moment, and screwed up my nerves ; and then with my 

 cocked rifle at my shoulder, and my finger on the trigger, I 

 kicked a stone, which splashed into the water. He started 

 up instantly ; but exposed only his front towards me. Still 

 he was very near, scarcely fifty yards, and I fired at his 

 throat just where it joins the head. He dropped on his knees 

 to my shot ; but was up again in a moment, and went stag- 

 gering up the hill. Oh for one hour of Bran ! Although he 

 kept on at a mad pace, I saw he was becoming too weak for 

 the hill. He swerved, and turned back to the burn, and came 

 headlong down within ten yards of me, tumbling into it appa- 

 rently dead. Feeling confident, from the place my ball had 

 taken effect, that he was dead, I threw down my rifle, and 

 went up to him with my hunting knife. I found him stretched 

 out, and, as I thought, dying ; and I laid hold of his horns 

 to bleed him. I had scarcely touched him when he sprang 

 up, flinging me backwards on the stones. It was an awkward 

 position. I was stunned by the violent fall ; behind me a 

 steep bank of seven or eight feet high ; before me was the 



