THE DOGS IN DANGER. 69 



The stag at length, being maddened with these vexatious 

 attacks, made a desperate stab at Derig, and, in avoiding it, 

 the poor dog at length lost his footing, his hind legs 

 passed over the ledge of rock, and it now seemed impossible 

 for him to recover himself. 



His life hung in the balance, and the fatal scale appeared 

 to preponderate. Still his fore legs bore upon the ledge, 

 and he scraped and strove with them to the utmost ; but, 

 as he had little or no support behind, he was in the position 

 of a drowning man, who attempts to get into a boat, and, 

 being also, like him, exhausted, the chances were consider- 

 ably against him. In struggling with his fore legs he 

 appeared to advance a little, and then to slip back again, 

 gasping painfully in the exertion; at length he probably 

 found some slight bearing for the claws of his hind feet, 

 and, to the inexpressible relief of every one, he once more 

 recovered his footing, and sprang forward at the deer as 

 rash and wrathful as ever. 



Tortoise had at length gained the proper spot, the rifle 

 was then raised, but when all hearts were beating high in 

 sudden and nervous expectation of a happy issue, the dogs 

 were unfortunately in such a position that a shot could not 

 be fired from above without risk to one of them, and the 

 danger was fearful as ever. 



Three times was the aim thus taken and abandoned. 

 At length an opening : the crack of the gun was heard 

 faintly in the din of the waterfall ; the ball passed through 

 the back of the deer's head, and down he dropped on the 

 spot, without a struggle. 



"Cadde, come corpo morto cade." 



The dogs now rushed forward, and seized him by the 

 throat; so firm and savage was their grasp, that they 

 were with difficulty choked off. The men came cautiously 

 on the ledge of the rock, and began to take out the huge 

 creature, two at his fore legs, and two at his hind quarters, 

 and thus they lifted him out from the course of the torrent, 

 and laid his dun length upon the moss. 



" Ou, what a bowkit beast ! Fende his haunches, and 

 see sic a bonny head !" 



