xxiv THE WAPITI 387 



I had seen at once that the object I had at first mistaken for a 

 branch was the portion of a wapiti's horn of very large dimensions. 

 The reins were now drawn over the horses' heads, and they were 

 left to graze. 



There was a small clump of green spruce firs upon a gentle 

 slope on our right, and we concluded, according to the wind, that 

 we should be in a safe position to obtain a shot if we could 

 manage to reach such shelter undiscovered. Some rising ground 

 concealed the wapiti, and now that I dismounted, I could not see 

 the antlers. 



My hunter had not observed them. 



Making a detour to our right, we at length succeeded in reach- 

 ing the clump of thick green spruce. Pushing our way softly 

 through the yielding boughs, we gained the edge, from which we 

 had expected to obtain a view of the still hidden game. 



There was a glorious sight ; three immense stags, about 1 50 

 yards upon our right, were feeding in a direction that, if continued, 

 would bring them across our position within 80 or 90 yards. The 

 wind was favourable ; we therefore watched. 



One of these stags had stupendous horns, and as they slowly 

 approached, I counted with my glass fourteen points. The others 

 had twelve each. I was determined to possess that grand head. 



They had now fed to within a distance of about 110 paces of 

 our position, and the intervening ground was open. If I waited 

 until they should be exactly opposite, they would be much nearer, 

 but they would pass behind a clump of large spruce firs, which 

 might almost obscure them. I could make quite certain of the 

 shot at 110 yards, but I enjoyed the sport of waiting and watch- 

 ing, therefore I determined to let them cross exactly in front of my 

 position before I would take the shot. 



In a very short time they arrived upon the other side of the 

 trees, and I at once saw the difficulty. However, I determined to 

 be very careful in my aim, and to select the largest head. Some- 

 how or other they appeared suddenly to get the wind of danger. 

 Whether they smelt the horses I cannot say, but certainly they 

 could not have winded us ; they looked up, and around, and trotted 

 past the clump. I immediately fired at the shoulder of the biggest. 

 I heard the usual well-known sound of the '557 bullet; but the 

 deer did not drop. 



" He's got it all right," exclaimed Jem. " He'll drop directly." 



I was of the same opinion, but all three stags continued to 

 canter along as though unharmed down a gentle slope, jumping 

 over the prostrate stems of fallen spruce, as though enjoying their 



