172 SPORT. 



And now a strange alteration takes place in the 

 usually grave, reserved, and reverend demeanour 

 of the old hunter. After surveying the stag for 

 some moments with a curious expression, a com- 

 pound of wonder and admiration, on his face, he 

 snatches my little rifle from me, looks it all over, 

 then again at the stag, weighs it in his hand, and, 

 finally, after a rapid file-firing ejaculation of the 

 word " Nej, nej, nej, nej, nej," he bursts into loud 

 and boisterous laughter, waves his greasy old cap 

 in the air, his thin locks waving in the wind, 

 slaps me violently on the back, pointing to the 

 stag and my despised •* child's gun " alternately, 

 and finally executes a series of pedal contortions 

 which I believe he intended to be understood 

 as a dance. When my astonishment at this utter 

 metamorphosis has subsided, I produce my knife, 

 and make Ole, who now arrives breathless and in 

 a state of equal, though less demonstrative, glee, 

 help to shift the stag's quarters upwards, bleed 

 him scientifically, and slide him easily down to 



