220 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



" There is no coming down upon them from the hill," said 

 Tortoise. 



" They will no bide there lang," said Jamieson. 



" They are magnificent creatures," said Lightfoot. 



" Shall I lowse a doug ?" said Maclaren. 



" No, that may spoil the drive, for there is no saying 

 where a cold hart may go to bay : but stay you here ; we 

 will take a long round, and endeavour to get into the burn. 

 Give us twenty minutes, and then try to coax them across, 

 as near yon curve of the stream as you can. If they move 

 forward, we will do so too ; so keep the glass upon us, and 

 do your best according to circumstances. Now look at your 

 watch." 



A long round, and a sharp persevering pace, brought 

 them to the destined spot within the allotted time : having 

 walked for a space with bent bodies, they sat themselves 

 down on a grey stone under the bank of the stream. 

 Maclaren now began his game ; entertaining enough it was 

 to see the contest of skill between him and the harts : the 

 continual shiftings of the Gael, however, at length gave 

 them a slight turn towards the east, and they appeared to 

 be coming in a good accommodating direction. But whether 

 they got a blink of the men in the burn, or found ground 

 more to their liking, they at length kept full to the wind, 

 and went straight south. The moss-troopers had not as 

 yet been able to come forward on account of the wind ; but 

 now that the course of the deer was obviously determined 

 upon, they made the best of their way under cover of the 

 banks and bogs. All too late they were ; for the harts 

 crossed the burn out of distance, but at a slow pace, as they 

 saw not the men. 



Maclaren now got as well round to the west as time 

 would permit him to do : but it was not this manoeuvre 

 that made them again bear a point to the east, for they held 

 him particularly cheap ; it was rather the sight of a few 

 hinds that had been disturbed from under the crescent of 

 Ben-Dairg, and were bearing away towards Cairn-cherie. 

 These they meant to join. 



" This way, this w r ay, Harry, come along, we'll have them 



