200 HIGHLAND SPORT 



rest of the day, we worked our ground almost entirely to put 

 birds over Dyke — for his misfortunes, his pluck, his good 

 shooting and masterly management of the bath-chair enlisted 

 all our sympathies, and we were only too glad to give him all 

 possible sport. Our total bag was fifty-three brace, thirteen of 

 which were Dyke's, who was wheeled home in the best of 

 spirits. 



2nd. — We shot in the same way as yesterday, with about 

 a similar result. 



3rd. — Our beat this day was too far and inaccessible for the 

 bath-chair. Dyke went ferreting, and killed more than one 

 hundred bunnies out of his perambulator, to the great surprise 

 of the keepers. Tom and Lewes returned from the forest late 

 this evening, having got nine stags, amongst them a good 

 " royal " and a " caberslach." 



4th. — As Patcham and I were preparing to start for the 

 forest early this morning, Dyke appeared on the scene, 

 saying — 



" Should you mind if I joined your party } Of course, 

 I can't stalk, or even keep near you, but I should like to spend 

 a few days in the forest, if only to have a peep at the deer 

 through the glass. Perhaps I might even see something of 

 the sport from a distance, for I know enough about it not to get 

 in the way." Needless to say, we took him, and were only too 

 glad of his company. 



At the entrance to the forest a stalker was waiting, so 

 Patcham alighted and was quickly off, while we drove on to the 

 lodge, where I was to meet the head forester for my day. 

 Another four miles saw us at the end of our journey, and then, 

 as we were about to start after the deer. Dyke looked so long- 

 ingly at the top of the big hills surrounding us on all sides that 

 I was tempted to suggest he should take a seat on the deer 

 saddle of the pony standing ready to go with us, and return 

 in the same way after we had gone a certain distance along the 

 forest track. His face brightened as he jumped at the invita- 



