162 LEAVES FROM A GAME BOOK. 



off, but he continued placidly browsing, while each 

 mouthful he took was accompanied on our parts by 

 anything but blessings on his head. Dusker and dusker 

 it grew, and matters began to look very black ; so much 

 so that I contemplated telling Edmund all about the 

 big fellow, with a view of taking counsel and attempting 

 same rash or daring manoeuvre. 



My own idea was to put the rifle at full cock, and 

 then, with fingers fast set between hammers and strikers, 

 to make a dash down hill, trusting to luck to get near 

 enough to the big one to put in a shot ere he could 

 get out of range. As I turned to whisper my plans, 

 I saw two other good-sized stags coming up from the 

 base of the hill to join the little one. Edmund had of 

 course seen them too, and whispered me in accents of 

 despair, " Hech, sir, if it were but later in the season, 

 the other stag would soon put them awa, and show us 

 his whereabouts." As he finished speaking, the two 

 new-comers came to a halt, while the provoking little 

 staggie that had so long delayed our advance disappeared 

 with a caper ; then the next second we heard the clatter, 



