CH. XXV. APPROACH THE STAG. 87 



had time to get round there before he rose ; and I 

 knew that once on foot to feed, his direction would 

 be so uncertain amongst the mounds where he 

 was, that my chance would be small. 



After a short survey I started off at my best 

 pace to the right, thinking that from the nature 

 of the ground I might succeed in getting into the 

 valley unobserved ; and once there, by taking 

 advantage of some hillock, I should have a toler- 

 able chance of approaching him. After what 

 appeared to me a long tramp I came to a slight 

 rise of the shoulder of the hill : beyond this was 

 a hollow, by keeping in which I hoped to get 

 down unobserved. It was already past three, 

 but the stag had not yet moved ; so, keeping the 

 tops of his horns in view, I began to crawl over 

 the intervening height. At two or three places 

 which I tried I saw that I could not succeed. 

 At last I came to a more favourable spot ; but I 

 saw that it still would not do, however well the 

 dog behaved, and a capital stalker he was, imitating 

 and following every movement of mine, crouching 

 when I crouched, and crawling when I crawled. 

 I did not wish to leave him quite so far from the 

 deer, so I made another cast, and this time found 

 a place over which we both wriggled ourselves 

 quite unseen. Thank God ! was my exclamation, 



