HAPPY DAYS AS AN ASSISTANT 27 



the foot of the ridge we climbed up through the scrub of 

 Eugenia and other plants to about thirty feet elevation and 

 then sat down to wait the dawn, now rapidly approaching. 

 The mist was much lighter here. Already the sounds of 

 the night folk were lessening. Away to our left a pea-fowl 

 sent forth its peculiar call and the koel bird had started 

 singing in a tree hard by. Gradually the darkness lying 

 over the cultivated lands below us lifted as the East 

 flamed red and gold with dark, threatening streaks, 

 and patches of rain-clouds hanging above the brilliant 

 colouring of the dawn. A light breeze had risen, blowing 

 down from the ridge behind us, and was dissipating the 

 mist in front. 



Eagerly we scanned the ground beneath, and I looked 

 out carefully for the run by which the stag was said to 

 return to the hills. One dark patch I discovered about 

 three hundred yards off, and was just turning to Bishu to 

 ask him about it when he touched my arm and pointed 

 away to the right or south-east. Out in the plain I descried 

 the small rise and clump of trees where Bishu had wanted 

 me to take up my station. I could see nothing else at 

 first. Then suddenly I saw what Bishu meant. Two 

 deer were advancing from the direction of the clump. The 

 rapidly increasing light showed them up sharply. The one 

 in front was a doe, stepping daintily along the path, her 

 ears constantly flicking backwards and forwards and her 

 eyes travelling in all directions as she turned her head to 

 left and right and nosed the air for danger. Behind, some 

 fifteen to twenty paces, came her companion, a lordly 

 stag. I suppose he was about two hundred and fifty yards 

 off, perhaps a little more when I first saw him, and he 

 appeared a fine heavy beast. Anxiously I watched the doe. 

 In what direction would the run, for she was evidently on 

 a run, take her. If she advanced towards us I should not 

 get an easy shot at the stag. I glanced at Bishu, but could 

 make nothing of his face. I looked back to the doe. She 

 was now advancing directly for us. The stag would accord- 

 ingly take the same direction as soon as he reached the turn 

 in the run. Should I fire while I still had him more or less 

 diagonally on to me ? I half lifted the rifle and then 

 lowered it. I did not like the shot. Bishu moved his 

 fingers, but I did not know what he meant. 



The doe was now within one hundred and fifty paces, 



