124 PEAIEIE AND FOREST. 



back, I hurried back to my quarry, in the hope of making 

 camp at an early hour, and having a good fire before my 

 comrades returned. Nor was 1 too soon, for already a coyotte 

 had scented blood, and was about to whet his sharp tusks 

 on the results of my labour. With considerable hoisting, 

 and not until I had blindfolded my mount, I got both 

 antelopes on my nag's back, where I lashed them fast with 

 the lariat to the cantle of the saddle. Swinging myself 

 into the pig-skin, congratulating myself on the success of 

 my stalk, for cainp I headed, and already had commenced 

 in imagination to enjoy a hearty meal on some of the tit- 

 bits Humming possibly the old regimental march, and 

 my thoughts wandering to far-off scenes, I was surprised, 

 on issuing from a dip in the prairie, to see several antelopes 

 feeding undisturbed about a hundred and fifty yards off. 

 Throwing my head forward over the saddle-tree, in a moment 

 I was on my feet, and hurriedly hobbling my beast, I made a 

 cast to the right to obtain a better leeward position. Prairie- 

 dog earths were numerous, and apparently untenanted or 

 else the whole population had turned in for their afternoon 

 siesta. These irregularities of the surface afforded an 

 abundance of shelter. A few minutes' crawling, and I was 

 within easy range, when springing to my feet the game 

 commenced their succession of buck-jumps, which they 

 invariably practise before settling to their regular stride. 

 Pitching my gun to the shoulder, I drew sight upon the 

 leader; over he went; while my second shot, fired too 

 hurriedly, sent its bullet harmlessly ricochetting, its course 

 being marked by a puff of dust where the missile bounded 

 each time it hit the soil The fall of the leader turned the 



