86 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



and with their sentinels looking back towards the east. 

 And now the heat of the manoeuvre being ended, they began 

 once more to think of Lightfoot ; and Tortoise, putting his 

 mouth close to Peter Fraser's ear, as he lay on the ground 

 beside him, desired him in a low whisper to beckon him 

 alongside of them. "Here is a glorious chance!" said he," 

 " and I would not have him lose it on any account." 



" And it's mair the pity he's no here to tak the chance ; 

 but I have been speering aboot, and canna light on him. 

 Sure as deith, then, but I see him the 1100 ! eh, that's him, 

 .high up in the crags. Lord, Lord ! what shall we do ? it is 

 an unco' fashions place for a stranger : he canna win forrat 

 by himsel at ony gait." 



" We should have considered that before, Peter ; but creep 

 back, and send Davy after him, with a caution how to bring 

 him into the ground properly. The dogs will be back in 

 time ; and I trust he may yet join us before the deer cross. 

 Speed, Davy, speed !" 



Away went Davy over moss and crag, and up the steep, 

 waving his bonnet to the vexed sportsman; but there was 

 no charm in Davy's signs sufficiently powerful to induce 

 Lightfoot to alter that' method of descent which he himself 

 judged most conducive to the preservation of his existence. 

 In vain did the herald keep sawing the air with his bonnet, 

 still advancing to the rescue. Our hero found his head 

 swimming, and very wisely gave up the upright position, 

 and made his way on his hands and knees, as best befitted 

 his unhappy condition. At length the messenger reached 

 and assisted him, and the crags once passed, both came for- 

 ward rapidly. 



Fraser, who had been peeping from time to time through 

 a bunch of heather, now pressed Tortoise's arm and whis- 

 pered, "Be ready, they are coming!" Both were lying 

 Hat on the heather, with the rifles on the ground, on one of 

 which Tortoise had his hand ; but, as yet, he did not raise 

 it. They lay still as death till some hinds passed within 

 an easy shot ; next came a four-year-old hart, which was 

 .suffered to pass also : the better harts were following in the 

 same direction, and the points of their horns were just com- 

 ing in sight, when lo ! Lightfoot, who had that moment 



