PAST DEEDS. 299 



all alang in the heather, and the baal passed through his 

 heart. And then ye jumpit up, and kilt other twa, ane 

 after the ither, as they were skelping awa', and thus we 

 got three beastis out of four. They say ye steppit the 

 ground afterwards, and that the first deer stud one hunderd 

 and forty yards frae ye. The last must have been an awfu' 

 distance." 



" Ay, Peter ; a true bill that. More by token that my 

 fingers tingle yet with recollection of the hearty Highland 

 grip that Charlie gave me when he saw the deed ; for he 's 

 a fine shot and a dear lover of the sport himself. But if 

 we boast thus of our past deeds, we shall be thought to 

 have lost all hope of equalling them in future." 



While thus speaking, Tortoise had been watching the 

 villain eagle. How easily, thought he, I could stop thy 

 murderous career for ever ! " Now, Jamieson, could I 

 come in upon that beastie by sinking the hill, going round 

 by the west, and coming up the hollow by a sidewind, 

 whilst his keen eye is fixed upon you and the deer ; but 

 the day is far on, and we must be true to our time ; and 

 yet it grieves me, for these eagles are very difficult of 

 approach, even by the most skilful sportsman, and it is 

 very seldom one has such a good oportunity. Instances 

 of success, however, sometimes occur : and the most ex- 

 traordinary one I ever heard of was related to me by my 

 friend Mr. Skene of Rubislaw. Listen to it, Harry. 



" Whilst staying with his relation at Abergeldie, he met 

 a herd-boy coming down the avenue, labouring under the 

 burthen of what appeared to be some weighty animal, 

 trailing on the ground behind him, and held by a leg over 

 each shoulder ; he concluded it was a roe-deer, but found 



