AND OTHER HUNTING ADVENTURES. 197 



and it may be an hour or more before they will start 

 for water. It won't pay us to wait so long, for we 

 shall most likely find others within that time that 

 we can get within range of without waiting for them. 

 So you may as well try them from here. 



Now your experience at the butts may serve you 

 a good turn. After taking a careful look over the 

 ground, you estimate the distance at 850 yards, and 

 setting up your Beach front and Lyman rear sights, 

 you make the necessary elevation. There is a brisk 

 wind blowing from the right, and you think it nec- 

 essary to hold off about three feet. We are now 

 both lying prone upon the ground. You face the 

 game, and support your rifle at your shoulder by 

 resting your elbows on the ground. The sun is now 

 shining brightly, and you take careful aim at that 

 old buck that stands out there at the left. At the 

 report of your rifle a cloud of dust rises from a point 

 about a hundred yards this side of him, and a little 

 to the left, showing that you have underestimated 

 both the distance and the force of the wind things 

 that even an old hunter is liable to do occasionally. 



We both lie close, and the anima's have not yet 

 seen us. They make a few jumps, and stop all in a 

 bunch. The cross-wind and long distance prevent 

 them from knowing to a certainty where the report 

 comes from, and they don't like to run just yet, lest 

 they may run toward the danger instead of away 

 from it. You make another half-point of elevation, 

 hold a little farther away to the right, and try them 

 again. This time the dirt rises about twenty feet 

 beyond them, and they jump in every direction. 

 That was certainly a close call, and the bullet evi- 



