298 COUP D'ESSAI. 



had killed a deer; and when you asked him in what 

 manner, he replied that his ball struck the spot where the 

 deer had been lying the day before. You were much 

 nearer than this, you know. It was no bad shot after all, 

 and will be of infinite service to you as an instruction to 

 take your aim more foward in future. I began my career 

 nearly in the same way, and learned a good lesson from it." 



" Then the first deer you killed was a hind? Well, 

 that's some comfort, however." 



" No, I mistake ; not the first. My coup d'essai was at 

 a hart. I set off from Blair Castle with the Duke of 

 Atholl for Forest Lodge at twenty minutes past three 

 o'clock in the morning. There were no deer feeding in 

 the glen ; so we breakfasted, and I began fishing for sal- 

 mon. After a time, whilst very intent on my cast, I 

 heard a noise above me, and looking round, I saw a stag 

 running at full speed along the slope of the hill, with two 

 lurchers at his heels. Quickly did I clamber up the rocks. 

 John Crerar was in the road with a rifle ; and, as he was 

 in the act of raising it to his shoulder, in I came behind, 

 took it from his hand, fired, and hit the deer through the 

 jaw. The poor chop-fallen fellow then went to bay, 

 where I finished him ; but, to speak the truth, he was 

 altogether as lean, ragged, and shabby a beast as I ever 

 saw. If I was not ashamed of him, I am a soused gurnet. 



(Maclaren, touching his hat.) (( Ye held at better game 

 afterwards atween the shank of Ben-y-chait and the Elrich, 

 when Charlie Crerar was with ye. Ye'll mind when ye 

 creepit up to four harts to tak' a quiet shot ; ye got with- 

 in a lang distance, and tuk the first deer with his braedside 

 towards ye as he was feeding and lying as ye were yoursel 



