160 LEAVES FROM A GAME BOOK. 



as we approached the top of the hill over which we 

 expected to find our quarry, he had the wisdom to 

 reduce it to almost a crawl, so thus by the time the 

 summit was reached I had quite recovered my wind. 



On hands and knees we crossed the sky-line, while 

 yard by yard the precipitous sides of the Eilig burn 

 were searched, and horribly disappointed were we at 

 finding our deer had apparently fed down to the 

 foot of this very steep hill. A worse place for a shot 

 could not be imagined, and Edmund whispered me that 

 the last three stags killed here had all been smashed 

 to bits by rolling down the rocky hillside after 

 receiving the bullet. 



There was nothing for it but to follow our quarry, 

 so feet first and flat on our sides we commenced the 

 descent, only quickly to sight the back of a small 

 stag. As long as he fed we slithered nearer to him ; 

 the moment he raised his head we became as immov- 

 able as the big stones around us. At length we were 

 within a long shot of this staggie, while to my dismay 

 nothing of the big fellow could be seen, and it 



