252 THE GAIG PET STOLEN. 



cows, as he was accustomed to do ; and now, being fairly 

 at too great a distance from the lodge for his shot to be 

 heard, he levelled, and despatched the hart most delibe- 

 rately. No time was lost in cording it on the horse, and 

 off he went homeward as fast as he could ; but the horse, 

 although a good Highland garron, had such difficulty in 

 carrying his heavy burden, that they were obliged to rest 

 at Glenbruar, and it was dusk before they reached the 

 castle of Blair. 



Breck's arrival made no small sensation; the Duke 

 hastened out to see what he had brought home, and being 

 surprised at the great size of the animal, which was 

 brought to the portal of the castle, asked where he had 

 the good fortune to kill it. " Not on your Grace's 

 grounds," was the reply. "Where then?" inquired the 

 Duke. " On the Inverness-shire hills," replied Breck : 

 " I have had this hart in my eye for years, and have seen 

 him frequently, but never in the company of any other 

 deer." On being weighed, he was found to be nineteen 

 stone, Dutch weight, without the gralloch. 



Breck got the reward, somewhat to the mortification of 

 Moon and of Crerar, who were better men. The truth, 

 however, soon broke out, and his competitors lost no time 

 in reporting to the Duke that Breck had stolen the Gaig 

 pet. His Grace sent for him and demanded if it were true 

 that he had stolen it. Breck denied the theft lustily ; 

 he f cud na say' but that it was the Gaig pet, but declared 

 that he had got it from the shepherds for a Scotch pint of 

 whiskey, which is about two quarts. The Duke expressing 

 his surprise that they should part with it for such a trifle, 

 Breck explained to his Grace, that the shepherds were 



