LEAVES FKOM A GAME BOOK. 219 



see him galloping away. Forgetting to keep the sight 

 quite low, I pulled the trigger in a hurry, only to 

 make an abominable miss; then he unsighted me before 

 I could use the left barrel, while, on again coming into 

 view, he was well out of range, so, in a state of 

 depression, I sat watching him vanish. Now, the stag 

 when missed had been browsing on the edge of a deep 

 valley, into which we had had no chance of taking a 

 peep, and suddenly, ere I had reloaded, five stags 

 appeared galloping up from the depths below to follow 

 the friend I had so unsuccessfully disturbed. The last 

 but one was the best of the bunch — a fat, plump fellow, 

 clear of velvet. Feeling somewhat upset at having only 

 one barrel loaded, I took an extra careful aim and rolled 

 him over. After this, we made the best of our way 

 to Kyle Strome Lodge, from whence, as we neared the 

 door, our host's well-known cheery " jodel " greeted us 

 from his dressing-room window over the porch, while he 

 enquired, " What sport ? " 



The 27 th was a fearfully wet, wild day ; however, 

 as the More Vane had steam up, Lawley and I started 



