64 LEAVES FEOM A GAME BOOK. 



and pleasant indeed was the relief of standing up and 

 commencing a run. But we had not quite finished with 

 this couple of nuisances, for one came back. Luckily we 

 saw his horns coming into view, so therefore before his 

 eyes had a chance of seeing us, we were both lying as 

 flat and still as any of the large boulders around us. This 

 sudden move on our part quite did away with any 

 pretence of being dry, for in going down so quickly I 

 lost my balance and fell on my back in a pool of water, 

 where for some time I had to remain, afraid to stir hand 

 or foot. This little "beastie," having unconsciously put 

 us to all possible annoyance, at length departed, a move- 

 ment to which we responded by quickly gaining the edge 

 of the flat ; then after a few seconds' pause we crept up 

 the slope in front of us, whilst my excitement increased 

 as Donald uncased the rifle and passed it to me. After 

 creeping some distance the hinds became visible on 

 either side, being almost within shot. As they were 

 feeding quietly, with no stags visible, it became next 

 door to a certainty these were all on the other side 

 of a small hillock, some sixty feet high and directly 



