LEAVES FROM A GAME BOOK. 33 



council of war, only to agree to our mutual satisfaction 

 as to the manner in which we would proceed if we were 

 alone, when, eventually, we were pleased to find our ideas 

 appeared to coincide with those of our guides. Once 

 more we faced the hill we had come up, and descended it 

 to nearly half way (rather a bore after all the trouble we 

 had had in climbing it) ; then we struck right along the 

 face, the reason for this manoeuvre being discovered as we 

 passed a wide gap, through which the deer might have 

 " picked us up," had we not kept below it ; and the long- 

 haired one silently pointed to it as a sufficient explanation 

 of the movement. Once past this, we gradually scrambled 

 again towards the summit, while, on nearing it, our stalker 

 halted and again pointed upwards, as, with an expressive 

 look, he drew the rifles from their covers, at the same time 

 signing to us to load. Taking a coin from my pocket, I 

 spun it up and held it out to my companion, who, in a 

 whisper, guessed wrongly, so I was to have first fire, 

 though almost sorry to do so, for it was Lightfoot's very 

 first chance at deer. I whispered, but it is to be feared 

 in a half-hearted tone, " You take it," but meeting with a 



