162 REMINISCENCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



now sent on to ascertain the means of further progress ; 

 and after an absence of more than ten minutes, which to 

 the sportsmen seemed a full hour, he returned creeping 

 like a worm, and beckoning the party to follow in the 

 same manner. This they did, and at length, keeping 

 along the peat cracks, got a chasm deep enough to afford 

 sufficient cover for the whole body. ' He's no a hunder 

 yards from you this moment, Grlenvallich,' whispered the 

 forester, in scarcely audible accents, ' and the wind is 

 strong from him. Ye must climb this knoll ; if ye can 

 get him within eighty yards, dinna seek to get nearer, 

 for he's in a wide green bench, and he's very jealous. I 

 dinna think ye'll mak muckle better on't, but ochone, 

 sir ! tak time and be canny ; I wudna for ten pounds he 

 got awa'.' * Never fear me, man ; but here's Mr. Tresham 

 must take the first chance ; I'll fire only if he misses. 

 Come along, Harry.' The forester cast a look of mingled 

 disappointment and remonstrance at his master, but it 

 was disregarded. Tresham also, who still shook from 

 head to foot with recent exertion and present excite- 

 ment, would have excused himself from interfering with 

 the anterior rights of his friend in this particular 

 animal; but Grlenvallich would not listen to him. 

 * Have done with this debating,' said he ; ' we shall 

 lose the deer ; follow me, Tresham.' Cautiously, like a 

 cat stealing on its prey, foot by foot, inch by inch, did 

 Glenvallich, grovelling in the heather, advance towards 

 the crest of the knoll in front of him ; when the deer's 

 antlers moved, he was still ; when they took their na- 

 tural position, he moved forwards. Tresham followed 

 in his track, stopping or advancing as he did, until 

 they had reached some twenty paces onward from 

 the ravine. Grlenvallich then signed to him to raise 



