THE PRODIGAL STAG 69 



Anyway, this day the wind was wrong from 

 start to finish, but remained so, which of two 

 evils is the least as the plan of campaign is 

 worked accordingly. 



Various creepings and crawlings, spyings 

 and waitings on unapproachable deer, brought 

 the hour to past two o'clock. 



At last some stags a good way down the hill 

 below us and impossible of access for which 

 we had waited over an hour, moved on, and 

 for some unknown reason, except that an east 

 wind usually makes deer restless, as it makes 

 us humans on edge, began to go fast into the 

 wind, round the shoulder of the beat and 

 slightly upwards. 



We three quickly followed, keeping well 

 up under the ridge, out of sight. 



An occasional roar as well as view helped 

 us to cut the deer off, and eventually we 

 reached the small rocky balloch of tragic story. 



The stags that moved along had evidently 

 picked up other friends, for there were plenty 

 moving about the grey stones, though only 

 small ones were visible ; but a big, deep roar 



