284 SECOND ESCAPE OF DEER. 



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 way, Harry, come along, we'll have 

 them yet." So saying they strove through the deep 

 channels of the peat moss, cowering low, and cutting off 

 the angle with all speed, till they got fairly within shot. 



Now there is one point in deer-stalking that is the most 

 provoking and tantalizing thing in the world ; and as it 

 happens pretty often, so it occurred in the present instance. 

 The riflemen, I said, were within distance : so indeed they 

 were ; but the harts skulked up a deep channel in the 

 moss in such a way that nothing but the points of their 

 horns were to be seen. It was in vain to run after so 

 small a parcel; that would only give them a rapid start, 

 and set them clean away at once. Thus not a shot was 

 fired, and fortunately no one committed suicide. 



The harts now joined the hinds, and all went slowly up 

 the western face of Cairn-cherie. 



As soon as they were all fairly settled in their new 

 position, a fresh reconnoissance took place the deer had 

 so taken up their ground that they were not within shot 

 either from the top or base of the hill, each of which 

 points the riflemen could have gained unseen by them. 

 The party went forward to the foot of the hill. 



" Noble fellows ! cunning devils ! what is to be done 

 now ? " said Lightfoot. " Do you think we shall kill them 

 all ? Can you bring us near them in fine style ; cannot 

 we come down upon them from the rocks above, and put 

 them all to sudden death ? " 



" To sudden flight we may easily : but know that there 



