80 SAGACITY OF THE DEER. 



he slipped back cannily behind the hill, ran like an an- 

 telope, and then came in again over the sky-line, and 

 showed himself partially more in front of them. Faith, 

 I see him now with my glass sitting very composedly on 

 that crag that hangs over the glen ; his legs seem to be 

 dangling in mid air. That is right, Maclaren; let well 

 alone. The deer cannot see you, I know, my man, though 

 we can. One point at least is now gained ; for I am 

 happy to tell you they will never resume their first 

 direction ; for the slight dubious glimpse they had of the 

 hill-man's bonnet makes them suspect an ambush in that 

 quarter ; but when they descend into this glen, which, as 

 you see, lies some three thousand feet below us, they may 

 go straight forward to the south, which will be equally 

 bad, avoid our hill entirely, and extricate themselves from 

 the Caudine Forks without a shot. But I hope Maclaren 

 may match them yet. 



" You will think this is slow work, and so, indeed, it is 

 just at present ; but if things go favourably, take my 

 word for it, you will have no reason to complain on that 

 score. We shall try your wind again, my good fellow, 

 I promise you. But, at any rate, it is no little matter 

 to see the graceful motions of the deer, and mark their 

 intelligence and sagacity. See, now they stop, and exa- 

 mine all the glen before they venture rashly into it : they 

 scan every part of the ground, and gaze so intently that 

 no object can escape them that lies within the limit of 

 their vision. 



"I may as well tell you, that if the hill- man had come 

 down right upon them in the first or second instance, and 

 endeavoured to drive them as one drives sheep, they would 



