ye CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



gentlemen, many perhaps lamenting that the season 

 was over ; and wishing to show them sport, the 

 master oave the word of command to unkennel the 

 hounds and try for the ' muckle hart.' In half-an- 

 hour Joe Faulkner was in the saddle, and forth 

 sallied the party. The animal was found by the 

 pack in no time ; but a strange and ghastly-looking 

 beast he was — his neck swelled to a tremendous 

 size, and his body lean as a greyhound and tucked 

 up, always the case with the stag after the rutting 

 season. He looked wholly unfit to run, but by no 

 means unprepared to fight a foutrance. Still, after 

 gazing awhile angrily at his foes, he turned his 

 head to the wind, and soon left the steeds behind. 

 Following on the line, however, the hunters at last 

 heard the hounds at bay, and soon saw a sight to 

 which an artist might do justice, but which my pen 

 can but feebly describe. In the middle of a large 

 field stood a mighty oak, whose 'giant bole' might 

 have witnessed the death of many a stag in good 

 Queen Bess's time ; and beneath the outstretching 

 arms, with his hind-quarters against the tree, stood 

 the persecuted beast. Joe in an evil moment had 

 drafted out some of his best entries, to give t/ievi 

 blood ! and three of them lay dead at the feet of the 

 quarry. The old hounds, gathered in a semi-circle. 



