THE SURPRISES OF THE HILL 31 



tortures of mind, what shiverings of nerves, of 

 cold chatterings have they not been respon- 

 sible for !) on a rocky, light patch of ground, 

 the same colour as himself, above the stalkers, 

 who had now crawled to within a hundred 

 and fifty yards. He was flanked on either 

 side by a hind, who stood alert, suspicious, 

 restless, with eyes and ears full cock on those 

 two motionless figures below. The rifle 

 could not possibly get into position to shoot, 

 there was nothing for it but to lie flat until 

 the stag rose, and then there would be a 

 scramble, a swing round of the knees to make 

 a rest and a quick shot. The stag was asleep, 

 so there was plenty of time to anticipate all 

 the difficulties ; and to realise that suddenly 

 the sunlight had gone and it was darkening 

 more and more every moment. " I wish he 

 wud rise, the light is gitting bad/' whispered 

 Dewar's soft voice. At last the stag woke, 

 rose, stretched himself ; round swung the 

 grey skirt, up went the knees, the rifle flew to 

 the shoulder, the eye realised that the light 

 was such that neither the top nor bottom line 



