202 HIGHLAND SPORT 



discharged for the third time with deadly effect. Dyke looked 

 up with a grin on his face as he said — 



" All right, Angus ! I will make it square with Mr. Berks. 

 I don't suppose I shall ever fire at a deer again, so I thought 

 as the chance offered I would have a real go for the last time." 



As we all stood up, behold! the two victims of the two last 

 bullets also jumped to their feet and began to make off, each 

 with a badly-broken hind leg — a wound which would not have 

 dropped an old stag, or even made' him wait for a moment. 

 Thereon up sprang Dyke, rifle in hand, to make the best 

 dash after them he could. Angus looked at me with a broad 

 grin on his face as he said, "Why, sir, they are a' three gang- 

 ing along exoctly alike ! " and true it was that Dyke's infirmities 

 and the stags' wounds gave to each the same lurching, funny 

 movement. 



Exhaustion soon compelled Dyke to stop, by which time 

 a gillie with a deerhound had come up, so telling the man to 

 slip him at one stag, Angus dashed off up hill to keep an eye on 

 the movements of the other. Left alone together, Dyke dole- 

 fully remarked — 



" I really could not help it. Gee, although I know it is all 

 wrong, so I only hope Berks will not be in a rage about it. 

 However, let us go and look at the one that is dead." 



This we did. He was but a six-pointer, and the baby neck 

 was covered with blood, for he had been shot in the back of the 

 head — a " fluke," of course. So we sat down by him to wait for 

 the return of the others. Dyke then took up my rifle, and 

 drawing the cartridges began to look it over with admiring eyes, 

 when this stag also suddenly came to life again, for with a kick 

 and a plunge he was galloping off before we had realised the 

 situation. In vain Dyke reloaded and emptied both barrels 

 after him ; and then before fresh cartridges could be inserted 

 he had unsighted us, while in spite of Dyke's long face I could 

 not help laughing, although he did much the reverse, while 

 vowing the stags in Strathmaacoe forest bore charmed lives. 



