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CHAPTER VI. 



OUR FIRM AND THE WHALES. 



R. M. was also a first-rate sportsman at 

 everything, and one of the very best men I 

 ever saw in my life to face a rough country with 

 a dog and get stuff out of it. He was, in his day, 

 one of the best hill- walkers I ever knew ; indeed, 

 too good, for he was always walking at his 

 dogs, his gillies, and any unfortunate man that 

 went out shooting with him. He was a capital 

 stalker, for he had the eye of a hawk and the 

 bump of locality ; but, being of a very excitable 

 nature, he was not as cool as he might be 

 when he came to shoot. He was always sight- 

 ing and trying his rifle, and the white spots on 

 the rocks and hills about were plastered with 

 the lead of his trial bullets, showing the accu- 

 racy with which bull's-eyes could be made. 

 Once, indeed, a memorable and most provoking 

 instance occurred of this mania of sighting. 

 They had been collecting sheep in Harris for 



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