MAKING A DASH. 169 



The thought of going to the halls of Blair, however, 

 with the deer in view, was transient as it was degenerate ; 

 and to do ourselves justice, never would have occurred to 

 us for a moment, had not the cast been nearly finished, the 

 chance almost as nothing, and had not visions of warm fires, 

 hospitality, and happiness floated invitingly around the 

 old towers of the castle, already in view ; in other words, 

 had we not at that moment been somewhat of a milksop. A 

 blush came over our storm-beaten cheeks ; we vamped up 

 our wet courage, and were determined to await the event. 



Long, very long, did the party remain under the wrath 

 of Jupiter Pluvius; for the pasture was good, and the 

 deer were in no hurry to quit it ; and, as the men were 

 locked in, they could not move till the deer did. At length 

 they began to draw on slowly over the hill ; two or three 

 disappeared, others followed, but more lagged behind. 



" Will they never go ? Yes, yes, they seem to be all 

 drawing on ; and now, by Jove, they are all fairly over, 

 except that jealous hind. Fix your glass steadily upon 

 her, Peter, and do not speak till she shall be clearly out of 

 sight when we are standing up ; try it first on your knees, 

 and raise yourself slowly." 



Fraser looked awhile, then shut up his glass rapidly, 

 saying, " Noo's yer time, she is clean awa." 



Up they sprung, and away they went at high speed, 

 steeped and drenched as they were with the rain, which 

 had never ceased for a moment. Sometimes they stuck 

 almost knee-deep in old heather, amidst large blocks of 

 stone : these they sprung upon or twisted their ankles 

 between as it happened ; for such a swinging pace down 

 hill precluded their arresting their steps for a moment. 



