64: THE DEATH. 



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 as 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 quar- 

 ters, 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 I Fende his haunches, and 

 see sic a bouny head ! " 



" Ah, this is the best deer we have killed this year, 

 Peter. I have not seen the like of him since the great 

 monster I felled on the Elrich, when you put two charges 

 of powder and two balls in my rifle ; and the man who 

 cuts up the deer so beautifully at Blair, said he had a 

 hole in his shoulder large enough to put his fist in." 



" Will ye never forget that, then ? But yer honour 



